KANSAS CITY, Mo. (CN) - A woman claims Kansas City police arrested the wrong man during her baby daughter's funeral. Shauna Renno says she cried and begged officers to allow her to bury her daughter in peace, but they refused, saying her daughter "was better off dead with parents like them." Renno says the cops arrested her late daughter's father, though they were seeking the girl's uncle.
Renno claims KC police refused to or let the funeral to continue unless she and her late 14-month-old daughter's father Mark Zahnd, helped them arrest the girl's uncle, James Renno, who was not there.
Shauna Renno claims that police "put Zahnd's arms behind his back and handcuffed him" during the graveside ceremony, "as he was reaching for a handful of soil to place on the casket."
Renno cites other offensive comments the arresting officers made, in her 18-page complaint, including that the cash in the pocket of the baby's showed that he was a drug dealer.
She seeks punitive damages for emotional distress and false imprisonment. She is represented by Russell Powell with Monaco, Sanders & Gotfredson.
The case was originally filed in Jackson County Circuit Court but has been moved to Federal Court.
The Kansas City Board of Police Commissioners, the City of Independence, two Kansas City police officers and two Independence police officers are named as defendants. The incident occurred at an Independence cemetery.
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