SAN ANTONIO – A Leon Valley family is suing several law enforcement agencies after authorities mistakenly raided their home in a search for drugs and left them traumatized, according to a lawsuit filed Monday.
On Nov. 14, the suit said, Lucil Basco was on her way to pick up her son from Empower Behavioral Health, which offers clinic-based applied behavior analysis services to learners across the state.
During her drive, Basco was "unlawfully" pulled over for not using "her blinker, her license plate was obstructed, and she did not pull over immediately," the suit said.
After a search of her vehicle, Basco was given a warning ticket. An hour later, the front door to her home was smashed in and she and her 5-year-old son were met with masked, armed officers on a "narcotics search warrant," according to the suit.
Authorities placed Basco in handcuffs while they searched for drugs in her home, breaking down two additional doors inside it. The raid was based on "information from a confidential informant," the suit said.
According to a police report, the informant pointed out Basco's house as a "stash house" to BCSO deputies and agents with the Drug Enforcement Administration. The report said an entry team knocked and announced their arrival "several times" before forcing their way in to Basco's home.
A BCSO deputy was later told it was "not the right house" and no drugs were found inside the home, according to the report.
A day later, Basco's husband, Raymond, was told by a BCSO sergeant that the "raid was a mistake" and that they were going to receive money for the damage. They have yet to receive the funds, according to the suit.
In a news conference Monday, the Basco family said the raid has left them traumatized, including their son.
"I have nightmares ever since the police broke down my door with their guns pointed at my head, pointed it at me. It traumatized my son and myself," Lucil Basco said.
The family's attorney said the lawsuit -- which was filed against BCSO, Texas Department of Public Safety and DEA agents -- is seeking a "big number" along with punitive damages. An exact dollar amount will be decided by a jury, the attorney said.
Officials with the Bexar County Sheriff's Office released the following statement to KSAT:
"We have not been served with any legal process. We will defer to the District Attorney’s Office regarding any ongoing legal matters."