'I demand a female officer': Male cop stalks Latinx woman for 9 years, gropes her in disturbing arrest

Trigger Warning: This story contains details of physical and sexual assault that readers may find disturbing

In a video posted to Instagram earlier this week, Linda Nuno Trevino, a Latinx woman in Austin, Texas, is seen being arrested for protesting by blaring her car horn. When she was arrested, the male officer held her against a police vehicle and physically assaulted her under the guise of performing a standard pat-down. The video has since gone viral, with many expressing outrage about the way she was manhandled. As the video comes to an end, Trevino screams that the officer had stalked and harassed her for nine years, yet again displaying the vast misuse of power within police departments in the United States.

The video was uploaded to Instagram by María C Rodríguez. She wrote, "Linda Nuno Trevino got arrested today for honking her horn. She was honking her horn today at a motorcyclist cop [and] proceeded to hand out her cards with her story on it. Cops took her to Travis County jail and impounded her vehicle." With the help of individuals online, Rodríguez was able to help gain release for the woman and retrieve her vehicle. However, a petition has since been started in order to help her gain justice by reopening a custody case she has been fighting and firing the officer in the video, identified only as Officer Brian.

"Officer Brian has been terrorizing and stalking Linda Nuno Trevino for nine years," the petition reads. "He first came into her life when police were called for a domestic disturbance. He responded to a few more disturbances. He began stalking her, showing up at her house unannounced while he was on duty, peering his head in the door, calling her 24/7 demanding to see her and go on dates even though she was clearly uncomfortable." At one point during the time he knew her, he raped and impregnated her. The petition continues, "She became pregnant and at four months Brian convinced her to move in with him so as to protect 'his baby.' He began controlling her every move and dictating what she ate, when she showered, and where she was at all times."

Over the next few years, Brian convinced the court that Trevino was an unfit mother, ultimately gaining full custody of the baby, named Tiffany. The petition highlights one painful incident: "One instance, Tiffany had rashes all over, likely from poison ivy, and although Brian took her to the doctor, he never gave her the proper medicine (the bottles were never opened). She had irritation and rashes around her private area as well, leading Linda to deeply worry about possible sexual assault." Since then, she has proved Brian was not the father, after having doubts, in a DNA paternity test in 2017 before Tiffany turned four years old.

Therefore, the officer should not have custody of the toddler at all. Unfortunately, "the court system, with the help of the Austin Police Department, specifically Detective Limas, Phillips, and Bazon, has failed her and her daughter in order to protect Officer Brian." Individuals have demanded an investigation into his behavior and a way to bring Tiffany back home to her mother while ensuring Brian stays away from children in the future. If you would like to help Trevino in her efforts, please sign the petition and amplify her cause.