GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. — The City of Grand Rapids has settled a federal lawsuit filed by the family of Honestie Hodges, who as an 11-year-old was held at gunpoint by Grand Rapids police officers.
In a settlement deal, the city will pay the Hodges $285,000 and the family will end its lawsuit. The family's attorney confirmed details of the agreement to FOX 17.
The settlement must be approved by a judge before it becomes final.
Back in December 2017, Grand Rapids police officers held Honestie at gunpoint, then handcuffed her during a search for a suspect believed to be inside her home. Officers later found that suspect in another nearby building.
The situation sparked an outcry from neighborhood leaders and grabbed national headlines.
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Then-Police Chief David Rahinsky ordered an internal investigation into the officers as well as a review of the department's polices. The officers were cleared of any wrongdoing, but a new policy, named after Honestie, was put in place. It changed how officers were required to treat minors at potential crime scenes, adding more reporting structure if a child was put in handcuffs.
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Honestie died in 2020 due to complications with COVID-19. Her mother filed the federal lawsuit in 2023.
Grand Rapids moved to have the lawsuit dismissed in 2025, but commissioners decided to move ahead with the settlement earlier this month.
The family's attorney said no amount of money can repair the trauma caused by the incident. The settlement is about "affirming the value of every child, restoring public trust, and ensuring that policing practices reflect both public safety and human dignity," the attorney said.
In a statement, the city said, “We are pleased that the parties have been able to resolve this matter without further court proceedings and have brought this long journey, which has been difficult for all involved, to a close."
