Houston mother detained on Good Friday in viral video speaks, Fulshear PD responds

Exclusive: Police Mistake or Profiling? Houston Mother Detained With Toddler In Car

A viral video with millions of views shows a Houston-area mother being unexpectedly detained during a Good Friday traffic stop while her young children watched from the car. We have the exclusive story and are asking the tough questions to find out if this was a massive police mistake or another example of a Black woman being wrongfully targeted.

FORT BEND COUNTY, Texas - A Houston-area mother who was detained during a Good Friday traffic stop while her children watched from the car joined the Isiah Factor Uncensored to talk about the incident. The law enforcement agency behind the detainment, Fulshear Police Department, also responded.

Houston woman detained with toddler in the car

What they're saying:

Kathleen Booker spoke to Isiah Carey alongside her attorney, Audia Jones, after a video recorded by her stepdaughter shows multiple units from the Fulshear Police Department pulling her over.

According to Booker, she had just left the house with her stepdaughter and 2-year-old toddler when the traffic stop happened. She recalls getting out of the car to the officers pointing guns at her.

At that point, the mother didn't know why she was being pulled over. Her two children had to witness the entire scene.

Booker says she was released at the scene with no apology. Since then, she tells Carey she has been in a state of shock and describes feeling anxious, disappointed, horrified, humiliated, and angry.

Booker's attorney, Audia Jones, tells Carey Booker's fourth amendment rights were violated in that moment. The officers had no type of probable cause or evident circumstances, Jones claims. "My client was simply a law-abiding citizen who was minding her own business with her own children. The police violated her rights, and we’re here to make sure they’re held accountable."

Fulshear Police Department response

The other side:

According to police, officers were called to a gas station robbery on FM 1093 on April 3. They were told two Black male suspects who were armed and wearing masks, had broken a window and taken a large amount of money. The suspects then left in a white Nissan vehicle, police said.

Officers claim they saw a white Nissan vehicle near the area of the reported robbery. Fulshear PD says officers conducted a "high-risk felony" traffic stop given the severity of the call.

The police department states the driver of the Nissan they stopped, Booker, was detained during the stop. She had her stepdaughter in the front passenger seat while her young daughter was in the back.

According to officials, Booker was initially "reluctant to comply with officers' commands", causing tensions to escalate and delayed the resolution.

Fulshear PD claims officers had their weapons drawn but at no point were they pointed towards the occupants and no physical force was used during the encounter.

Once it was determined the vehicle was not involved in the reported incident, the situation was deescalated and Booker was told of the process to file a complaint. Police also say they were given an explanation for the stop and issued an apology.

Booker's husband reportedly met with the Fulshear PD supervisor about the incident. The supervisor also explained the circumstances and actions taken by officers, officials said.

They say a complaint form was officer and the husband said he did not feel it was necessary to file a complaint.

What they're saying:

"Situations such as this require officers to make rapid decisions based on limited and evolving information. In this case, the decision to stop the vehicle was based on a reasonable match to the suspect vehicle description, combined with the vehicle’s proximity in time and location to the reported crime. While we understand that incidents like this can be concerning, our officers acted in good faith and in accordance with their training and department policy. Their actions reflect a commitment to protecting the community while prioritizing the safety of all individuals involved," the police department said.