Alberta teen with autism still traumatized weeks after RCMP arrested him at a playground

WARNING: This story contains descriptions of self-harm.

Ryley Bauman squeals as he scampers across playground equipment, crunching dead leaves with his fingers and scattering the tiny pieces into the wind.

A siren from a passing ambulance blares and he runs to his mother, burying his head in her shoulder as she wraps her arms around him tight.

The Edmonton teenager, who has autism, was arrested at a St. Albert playground earlier this month. More than three weeks later, the boy's parents say he remains traumatized by his encounter with police. 

Ryley, 16, was playing in a park behind his grandparents house in St. Albert on Oct. 2 when he was detained by RCMP who believed he was a man impaired by drugs. 

An hour later, he was transferred from a police holding cell to hospital. Mounties said the boy repeatedly harmed himself while in their custody.

No charges were laid against Ryley and none are being considered, RCMP said.

Ryley's mother, Laura Hawthorne, said her son — who is non-verbal and functions at the level of a seven-year-old — has been changed by the hours he spent in custody. 

Ryley is now often anxious. The arrest has led to major setbacks in his development, she said.

Hearing sirens leaves him panicked for hours, Hawthorne said. 

"He just jumps out of skin," she said. "He just runs up to me and his whole body shakes. He is really struggling." 

Scared to leave the house alone or be unsupervised at home, even for a few minutes, he refuses to return to his grandparents' home in St. Albert.

"My whole life has been Ryley, just trying to help him through," his mother said. "And this has just undone everything."

The Alberta Serious Incident Response Team, the province's policing watchdog, is investigating the conduct of the officers involved in the arrest. RCMP have also launched an internal investigation.