Video shows a 12-year-old choked by Lillington police whiled handcuffed. Days later, the child has received a juvenile justice complaint alleging he resisted an officer — a move his mother calls retaliation.
LILLINGTON, N.C. — Eight days after a Lillington police officer was caught on video grabbing a 12-year-old Black child by the neck and choking him, the department has now turned around and filed a juvenile complaint against the child.
Carter Chance, now 13 years old, is facing a juvenile complaint of resisting a public officer, according to paperwork sent to his mother from the North Carolina Department of Public Safety Juvenile Justice.
The complaint came one day after his birthday.
And according to video and eyewitness accounts, it makes absolutely no sense.
The Charge Nobody Can Explain
In a letter dated January 9, 2026, Chance’s mother, Deonnia Lyons, was notified that a juvenile complaint had been filed against her son, accusing him of:
Resisting a public officer (N.C.G.S. 14-223)
The letter also scheduled an intake conference for January 23.
Video from the incident shows Carter already seated on the ground, handcuffed, with his hands behind his back, when Lillington Police Officer Andrew Kesick can be seen grabbing him around the neck.
MUST WATCH: NC Mom Outraged After Lillington Cop Chokes 12-Year-Old
At the same time as choking him, the officer is heard yelling racial slurs — including “I’m not a fing n*****.”
Why Police Responded?
The incident traces back to New Year’s Day in the Vandercroft Farms neighborhood.
Police were dispatched after a 911 call reported a man in a red shirt allegedly pointing a gun at a passing vehicle on Crane Way.
According to dispatch information obtained by MyDailyRecord, the call came in around 4:33 p.m.
When officers arrived, they requested backup from the Harnett County Sheriff’s Office, “due to multiple people on the scene causing problems,” according to monitored emergency radio traffic reported by the outlet.
Roughly 11 minutes later, radio traffic indicated the situation was “under control.”
Adult Suspect Charged — Days Later
That alleged armed individual was later identified as 18-year-old Destin Jackson — not Carter Chance.
Court records show that Jackson was not charged until January 8, a full seven days after the incident.
He now faces:
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Misdemeanor carrying a concealed gun
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Misdemeanor disorderly conduct
Jackson was arrested on Wednesday, January 14 and released the same day on a $1,500 unsecured bond. His next court date is February 19, 2026.
According to warrants, Jackson allegedly gestured as if shooting at a passing car, retrieved a tan-colored pistol, concealed it in his waistband, and later displayed it again while staring at the victim.
Yet despite an armed adult suspect, it was a 12-year-old child who ended up being choked — and later receiving a juvenile justice complaint.
Silence From Lillington Police
The Lillington Police Department has offered no public explanation for why an officer was patrolling without visible identification, why a handcuffed child was choked, why a juvenile charge appeared days after the incident, or why racial slurs were allegedly exchanged during the arrest.
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Notably, two other teens involved — 17-year-old Zamauri Chance and 16-year-old Raymone Harris — were not charged at all.
