Girl Who Inspired Police 'Honestie Policy' Dies Of Coronavirus

GRAND RAPIDS, MI — Honestie Hodges was 11 years when she was handcuffed by Grand Rapids police. That fateful day, Dec. 6, 2017, garnered national attention and led to policy changes within the Grand Rapids Police Department and elsewhere.

Now, coronavirus has claimed her young life.

Honestie, 14, died Sunday after being hospitalized for more than a week for COVID-19, the disease caused by the coronavirus.

"It is with an extremely heavy heart that I have to tell all of you that my beautiful, sassy, smart loving Granddaughter has gone home to be with Jesus," her grandmother, Alisa Niemeyer, wrote in an update on a GoFundMe page created to raise money to help Honestie's mother with medical bills and costs related to Honestie's care.

Her death came nearly three years after she was handcuffed in December 2017 by Grand Rapids police officers who were searching for Honestie's 40-year-old aunt in connection stabbing a relative. In body-worn camera footage of the incident, Honestie is heard screaming "No, no, no" as officers place her in handcuffs and lead her to a patrol car.

The incident sparked outrage but also spurred change. Just over three months later, in March 2018, a Grand Rapids Police Department task force developed the "Honestie Policy." Formally titled the "Youth Interactions Policy," the Honestie Policy adopted by GRPD declares the department's expectation that officers use good judgement and act in the best interest of youth.

When Honestie became ill Nov. 9, her mother rushed her to Helen DeVos Children’s Hospital. She tested positive for COVID-19 and was sent home, her grandmother wrote on the GoFundMe page.

Later that evening, Honestie was rushed back to the hospital, this time by ambulance, and was put in the Intensive Care Unit.

By Nov. 14, Honestie was on a ventilator, her grandmother wrote.

In a Nov. 17 update, Niemeyer wrote that her granddaughter was still on the ventilator, was heavily sedated and had an elevated heart rate.

"Please, please keep the prayers coming, they are working," Niemeyer wrote Nov. 17.

In another update Saturday, Nov. 21, Niemeyter wrote: "Quick update on Honestie, she is dealing with issues associated with her brain now, However Honestie is a fighter and always has been!!! Please, please, please keep the prays coming!!!"

On Sunday, Niemeyer said her "beautiful, sassy, smart loving Granddaughter" could no longer fight.