A Miami-Dade County couple said they were on the receiving end of a law enforcement raid that included breaking down the door, smashing up items in the home and putting both in custody. The only problem is; the couple said it happened at the wrong house.
Don Douglas and Kari Edwards said the sudden and scary entrance by people claiming to be federal agents. The couple said they believe it was a search for evidence of child pornography.
Don Douglas said, "Here’s where the grenade hit the floor. I was coming out of my bedroom because I hear the banging on the door. It actually sounded like somebody coming through with a sledge hammer."
The raid was caught on home’s security system. On the video, armed officers approach the house and then storm inside. Kari Edwards said she thought it was a home invasion.
Edwards said, "One guy, he grabbed me by my arm with one hand and then ripped the towel off my body, threw it down, drug me out to the living room, and threw me down completely with nothing on."
Blinded by tear gas and clueless about the whole situation; the couple kept asking questions, but agents raided the home while they were naked on the floor, busting down doors and tossing rooms.
Edwards said, "I’m kind of holding myself up looking around seeing what’s going on; constantly asking what is going, on what is this, telling me, ‘Oh you’ll find out later."
Edwards said the ordeal lasted two to three hours and that the only thing she wanted was answers. Instead, she said the only things she received were insults.
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Edwards said, "Very degrading, very scary. I was about this close to jumping up and running out because I do know they’ve had home invasions in this neighborhood. I know someone. I didnt want to get killed."
Edwards said agents from Homeland Security, Immigrations and Customs Enforcement, and the Gang Task Force eventually produced half a warrant that sought out computers and electronic media. Edwards said based on a conversation with one agent, the search was related to child porn.
Edwards said, “They never even touched my laptop, took anything of his. They only took one computer part in the whole house.”
NBC 6 put in a call to Homeland Security, but the agency declined to comment because there is an ongoing investigation.
UPDATE 7/18/14:
The federal government gave NBC 6 the following statement about the story.
"ICE Homeland Security Investigations Special Agents executed a federal search warrant on a residence located in SW Miami-Dade County, Florida, June 10, 2014. A federal judge issued the search warrant based on information developed by HSI in an ongoing criminal investigation."
