Teenager ended up in handcuffs and prison garb after falling asleep during court field trip

A teenager who visited a courtroom as part of a school field trip ended up being handcuffed after falling asleep during a hearing.

The girl had taken part in a field trip to observe the court proceedings, but the judge whose court she visited was extremely unimpressed by her behavior.

Judge Kenneth King was so outraged by the teenager's behavior that he ordered her to be handcuffed and wear prison garb.

According to a report by WXYZ-TV, King then asked other teenagers who were traveling with the 16-year-old whether she should be placed in juvenile detention because of her behavior.

The teenager had visited the court as part of an organized trip by the nonprofit environmental group “The Greening of Detroit.”

During the visit, King noticed that the girl was nodding off and decided to make an example of her.

The judge made the teenager put on a prison uniform (symbolic image). (Peter Dazeley / Getty)

In one video, he can be heard saying: “If you fall asleep in my courtroom again, I'll put you in the back, got it?”

After the first warning, King had the teenager put on prison clothes and handcuffed her.

King defended his decision to WXYZ: “I wanted it to look and feel very real to them, even though there's probably no real chance that I'll put them in jail. That was my own version of Straight ahead frightened.”

He added: “It was her whole attitude and her whole being that worried me. I wanted to get through to her, show her how serious the matter is and how to behave in a courtroom.”

“I will do whatever it takes to reach these children and make sure they don't end up ahead of me.”

A citizens' group criticized this approach (Getty stock photo)

King's decision to make an example of the visiting teenager was criticized by the citizens' group “The Greening of Detroit.”

Chair Marissa Ebersole Wood said, “Although the judge attempted to teach a lesson in respect, his methods were unacceptable.

“If he thought the group of students were being disrespectful, he should have simply asked them to leave the courtroom.”

Larry Dubin, a professor at the University of Detroit Mercy School of Law, also criticized the decision, saying, “There would have been so many other opportunities to help the young girl learn.”

UNILAD has contacted the 36th District Court of Detroit and The Greening of Detroit for comment.