Indigenous psychologist slams WA man who allegedly restrained three children with cable ties

A leading Indigenous psychologist has expressed outrage after three Aboriginal children were allegedly restrained with cable ties.

A leading Indigenous psychologist says she felt “physically sick” after learning a 45-year-old man had allegedly physically restrained three Aboriginal children outside a home in Western Australia.

Police were called to a Broome home about 2.15pm on Tuesday following reports of a trespass incident.

When officers arrived at the home on Conkerberry Rd, they allegedly found a six-year-old girl and a seven-year-old boy physically restrained.

Police later found a third child, an eight-year-old boy, who had also been held at the property but had fled before police arrived.

The children were allegedly bound together by cable ties outside a Broome home. Picture: Instagram

Member of the Order of Australia and leading Indigenous psychologist Doctor Tracy Westerman said she was upset seeing Aboriginal people go through this.

“I feel physically sick at this,” she posted to X.

Dr Westerman described the incident as “absolutely harrowing”.

A video live streamed to Facebook as the situation unfolded shows two children tied together at their wrists with cable ties while sitting in front of a garage door.

It is understood the children were found swimming in a pool at the home before they were restrained.

The man who allegedly restrained the children was filmed standing in front of the crying children while locals demanded he unrestrain them as they waited for police.

“Let them go, they’ll wait here for the police,” one woman said.

“What if someone tied your kids up like that?”

The children were later reunited with their family. Picture: Instagram

An earlier image posted to social media showed the three children bound together by their hands with multiple cable ties.

The children were reunited with their family members after they were assessed by St John Ambulance paramedics.

The man who allegedly restrained the children has been charged with three counts of aggravated assault.

WA Police will allege the force used to restrain the children was not proportionate in the circumstances.

A 45-year-old man West Australian man has been charged with three counts of aggravated assault after a video emerged of three Aboriginal children tied up with cable ties in a front yard. Picture: Instagram

The man was granted bail and is due to appear in court at a later date.

WA Premier Roger Cook said the incident was both “confronting” and “disturbing”.

“I think anyone who saw that video would have found it confronting, would have found it disturbing,” he told reporters.

“I understand it raises very strong emotions within everyone in the community.

“That was a very distressing piece of video we saw … but please everyone, let the police get on and do their job. ”