Police officer declares “Jesus” to get child from father having mental health crisis

By Marvin Hurst

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    HUTCHINS, Texas (KTVT) — Kenneth Knotts said no one was listening to him at a truck stop in Hutchins on Nov. 29, 2022. He was captured on body camera video and cameras of Hutchins police just before 6:30 a.m.

CBS News Texas requested images of the incident via public records law. Knotts’s family is suing the UT Southwestern Hospital Police for his death that day. He was brought to the hospital after a mental health crisis at Love’s Truckstop in the 2500 block of S IH-45.

“Brother, how you doing? What’s your name man?” Sgt. Kyle Garner asked.

When the police sergeant drives up, Knotts is on top of his SUV with his three-year-old son in a diaper, according to a police report and video.

“Hey … you believe in Jesus? You believe in Jesus? Listen. In Jesus’ name, I ask him to be with you, okay?” Garner said.

The HPD Sgt would go on to declare other resolutions in the name of Jesus Christ. While the 26-year-old with the child on the SUV listened, he stood up with his son, feet dangling.

“Calm down. Look. Let me see your son. Let me see your son. Look, I’ll help you, just let me see your son, okay?” Garner said.

Geoff Henley, the Knotts family civil attorney, said the Austin man was on a road trip with his girlfriend and kids. Police said Knotts had a flat in Ennis and drove to Hutchins.

His girlfriend sat in the passenger’s seat with the couple’s 10-month-old child as police negotiated for him to come down.

After much back and forth, Knotts came down on the windshield. Police, who kept asking Knotts not to cover the child’s nose with his arms and hands, grabbed the boy and restrained his father.

Garner told the man the child should be with his mother.

“No, he don’t. Jesus! Jesus!” Knotts said

Restrained in an ambulance, Henley said signs of paranoia, delusion, and lack of mental clarity were not a surprise. Even moments where Knotts appeared lucid during the recording shifted quickly as officers held him on what’s known as an apprehension by a peace officer without a warrant.

Officers are allowed to detain a person who is in a state of mental health that may harm themselves and others.

Knotts said he was doing it to get attention for the cameras because no one would listen. He also spoke about Canadian citizenship and several other things.

But when first responders start moving in the ambulance, he objects to getting taken to the hospital.

“I don’t want to die,’ Knotts said. “I don’t want them to kill me in there.”

The officer in the ambulance told the frightened Knotts that help, not harm, is why he was going to the hospital.

The ride intensified when Knotts saw a mechanism to calm him down.

“No! Please no! Please no,” Knott said.

First responders tried to hold and quiet Knotts down. He wrestled even in restraints as a paramedic gave him medication he did not want.

His fight with emergency responders would continue at UT Southwestern after he was recaptured following a brief escape.

Henley said when hospital police restrained Knotts, they pinned him on the side of the hospital bed, causing mechanical asphyxia. He died.

UT Southwestern did not respond to multiple requests for comment by CBS News Texas.

According to Henley, the lawsuit against them is still in its infancy. However, the hospital must answer a motion he filed by June 21.

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