INVESTIGATION CONTINUES. ADDITIONAL ARRESTS MAY BE PENDING.
BY: ANDREW COLTON | Editor and Publisher | BOCA RATON, FL (BocaNewsNow.com) (Copyright © 2026 MetroDesk Media, LLC) — The first adult arrested following the alleged assault on a child in the West Boca Raton community of Lotus is Mitchell Schuman. The Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office tells BocaNewsNow.com that Schuman is charged with a count of simple battery. He is identified as a “claimant representative” with a New York law firm. We are told additional charges may be pending.
As BocaNewsNow.com reported exclusively on Saturday with video of the incident, several adults are caught on camera roughing up a young boy in Lotus who was allegedly doing “wheelies” on his e-bike. Schuman, as seen in the video, is among the men documented as they are physically restraining the child and depriving him of his cell phone. The child repeatedly asks for his phone to be returned but the adults — including Schuman — say no. BocaNewsNow.com often reports on arrests for this crime alone — it is illegal to deprive someone of their communication device in the State of Florida.
Of note: Schuman was given a “notice to appear” but was not handcuffed and taken to the Palm Beach County Jail. We are awaiting a response from both the Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office and the State Attorney’s Office regarding the optics of a law firm employee, seemingly caught on camera committing multiple crimes, not being arrested like other alleged criminals. Suspects accused of battery and depriving an alleged victim of the ability to call 911 are routinely handcuffed and booked into jail.
BocaNewsNow.com has learned, however, that the investigation is not over. The other men seen in the video above may also face charges. There are women seen and heard in the video who did nothing to intervene. We have learned they are also “of interest.”
Mitchell Schuman and his wife Debra — a realtor — moved to Florida from New York. They live in the 8200 block of Wildwood Lakes Drive in Lotus. They purchased their home for $1,050,000 in 2022. They mortgaged $697,000 of that purchase price, according to the Palm Beach County Property Appraiser. Mitchell lists that he’s an “active participant” in his community’s HOA on his official law firm bio, below.
bone spurs
Why did he have privilege of not being handcuffed why was he not locked up ? When will the others get arrested? Who is he bribing? I hope the parents of the boy sue them all!!
THERE ARE 2 SIDES TO EVERY STORY–AND THE WAY THAT THEY ARE REPORTED. THE ACCUSED SEEMS TO HAVE A CLEAN RECORD AND AN INTEREST IN HELPING TEENS IMPROVE(VOLUNTEER COACH). HE IS SEEN RESTRAING THE KID NOT ASSAULTING HIM.
BARBARA–HOLD YOUR LIKELY MISPLACED ANGER UNTIL WE SEE HOW THIS WORKS OUT>
Respectfully, your comment is not a legal defense. In Florida, intentional unwanted touching is battery. Forcibly restraining someone without lawful authority and against his will is false imprisonment — and the statute specifically says that for a child under 13, confinement is against the child’s will if it occurs without parental consent.
If adults used force to take the boy’s phone, Florida’s robbery statute covers taking property from a person with intent to temporarily or permanently deprive him of it when force, violence, assault, or fear is used in the taking.
So ‘he was restraining him, not assaulting him’ is not an exoneration. It is an attempt to relabel conduct Florida law already prohibits. Adults do not acquire police powers because they are irritated at a child. Florida allows force in narrow circumstances like self-defense, not neighborhood vigilantism.
Calling it ‘restraint’ instead of ‘assault’ does not make it lawful. It just makes the excuse sound more rehearsed. I can cite statutes if you’d like. Victim-blaming, which is exactly what you’re doing here, is pathetic on it’s done. When the victim is a child, it’s the pinnacle of indefensible.
Wow, it’s clear you know the “adult” who was charged the way you are defending. You say it’s just “restraining” him but guess what restraining a minor IS ASSAULT. And stealing his property to stop him for call for help is also. Was is also legal when Mitch threw a full water bottle at the child’s face and punched him off his bike and stole his phone? Which is ALL ON VIDEO. they should post that one next, I bet you would change your story. It’s sick how you think. He is A CHILD. AND MITCH WAS ARRESTED NOT THE MINOR. So clearly there’s enough evidence against him. How you can defend and “adult” thinking he is police and commiting battery on a child is beyond me. Yes let’s see how this plays out.
You clearly know why he wasn’t arrested, handcuffed and taken to jail.
1. Last name
2. legal professional
3. rich white guy.
Now imagine if he was the exact opposite while all other facts stay the same. His booking photo would be all over this article.
The boy was wrong for doing wheelies on a bike in the middle of the street. He acted like a spoiled child. If he got hurt by a car I am positive his parents would sue the driver. Children have to be taught that there are consequences for their actions.
Great! Maybe Mitch & Debby will save face and leave Lotus next! They should!
Hi Ellen
You need to stop making an ass of yourself as a realtor. Go back to New Jersey.
i guess they were never kids. book then all and post their booking photos
They’re from New York not New Jersey
disguting four adults picking on a kid-he should have been Danville’s and taken to jail, but what do you expect from the most imcompent police department on the face of the earth
He’s not a lawyer. You may want to correct the caption under the photo.
so terrible to see these bored bullies trying to keep up with the Jones’s. this is an absolute disgrace to see such adult reckless behavior. Bullying and man handling a young boy just trying to have fun outdoors on his bike.whoever that lady in the background screaming ‘juvey” should be arrested for verbally abusing a child also.
all of these adults involved are terrible examples of human beings and should be arrested and fined.
Absolutely horrible! And those women don’t exclude those women because they are inciting it!!!! if one of those women had stood up for that child the men would’ve controlled themselves. The women had more control over the situation than the men as they always do and these women should be ashamed of themselves! I hope that the sheriff throws the book at them. That child was detained unlawfully and deserved as a minor to get in touch with his mother! He had every right not to disclose who he was to strangers and they had no right to touch his personal belongings, regardless of what he did that woman should not be permitted to be part of any PTA or child’s supervisory position! She obviously cannot tell the difference between protecting a child and inciting men to act in ways that they should not be behaving.
Everyone is quick to accuse the adults. We’ve all seen a so-called “kid” attack teachers, bully other kids and kill. The proverbial “he’s just a kid.” doesn’t always apply. The boy wasn’t exactly calm. The adults weren’t violent just restraining. The boy jumped on one man! I want to know why his phone was taken away. Ok that’s a problem but that kid didn’t do anything to help his cause.
who are the adults here???? how would you feel if 8 adults were attacking you and stole your communication device for riding your bike.
to me the boy not only looks well-mannered just scared out of his mind- and rightfully so.
where has everyone’s morals and protective nature gone.
You sound absolutely ridiculous! I’m sure if this child has “killed” before he would not be free to be doing something as horrifying as doing wheelies down the street on an e-bike. And what gives any of these GROWN MEN the right to put their hands on anyone else’s child or take the child’s phone? Would you feel the same way it this was done to YOUR CHILD?
Cj you’re an idiot. If arrest were made Law Enforcement have all necessary evidence to arrest. Go back to bed and have you’re soy milk bottle.
My guess is that they kept his phone to make sure that he didn’t leave the scene until they knew who he was and called his parents. Unfortunately, you can’t treat somebody else’s kid like your own and put your hands on him. The best thing to do would have been to take his photo and called 911 to report dangerous behavior by a juvenile.
The ” kid” is exactly that- a kid. The adults have absolutely no rught to put their hands on him or take his phone. The adults are completely out of line touching this child and taking his phone??? Absolutely nuts.
Well done, I support his actions these kids are out of control. The are a danger to drivers and people. The kids and parents of these kids who show no concern for public safety should be arrested. They drive head on towards cars! Cut them off! Ride with fake guns! Curse! And scare the people. I know one senior Community had to extend the security fence cause these kids came in and knocked on doors and destroyed property at night. Come on parents teach your kids some respect.
Its lucky nothing worse happened. For sure they will play chicked with wrong driver or point fake or bb gun at wrong person and will be dead..
I support this.guy 100%
who are the adults here???? how would you feel if 8 adults were attacking you and stole your communication device for riding your bike.
to me the boy not only looks well-mannered just scared out of his mind- and rightfully so.
(This comment was edited due to slanderous and inaccurate information). BocaNewsNow: perhaps you watched a different video. The video of this event shows only one aggressor, the teenager attacking the men to get his phone back. All the adults did was take his phone to get him to contact his parents. The logic being to get the parents to take responsibility for their delinquent child, as opposed to calling the police on the kid. The only physical contact was the boy repeatedly attacking the adults – which started before the video, the boy threatening and taunting the elderly man causing him to fall off his bike. Why didn’t you report how this incident began? And why was it necessary for you to post personal and financial information about your target here? The teenager was the lone aggressor in the video. We can only hope both the teenager and the parents are ultimately held accountable. And in the future, adults will directly call police when faced with threats from neighborhood youth rather than give the youth and their parents a chance to be accountable and rectify the situation for the benefit of all involved.
then why didn’t they pick up the phone when his mom was calling?
not sound logic.
Sorry T you couldn’t be more wrong. The adults are supposed to act like adults and calm a situation down, not incite one. Taking his phone so he can call his parents makes no sense. They are lucky that was not my kid cuz I would have been back to fight all four or those guys putting hands on him when he just needs to get his phone back. I’m sure if he got he would have either called his mom right away to come confront you guys or just run home out of sight. I’m not saying he didn’t ride recklessly, I’m not saying they did not have a right to admonish him, but they had absolutely no right to take his phone or be as physical with them as they were.
Yeah well, you’re wrong. I’m sure you haven’t seen all the videos but you will. That POS wannabe George Zimmerman thoroughly assaulted that twelve year old boy multiple times. Please make sure to come back and edit your comments and apologize for your ignorance when they’re released.
are you crazy??? He’s a KID. A bunch of adults gang up on a scrawny KID. SHAME. And the women there???? They should be embarrassed. Disgusting behavior.
I am so glad that I don’t live in community with kids. I have seen kids from the Lyons Road communities recklessly riding their bikes up and down Lyons and even on Boynton Beach Blvd. It’s a miracle that more aren’t killed (one was a few years ago when he decided to cross the street on his bike against a red light). Why do their parents allow them to endanger themselves on these bikes and ebikes?
Nobody injured. Just everybody – the adults, the kid, and the commenters all got their feelings hurt. Is there anyone left who can stay calm? Imagine if this were something truly serious.
Neighborhood of Karens for gods sake they are lucky this wasn’t my child
Feel sorry for your kids if you have any.
I’m just glad this story is not about someone with a dog at the mall.
Give the man a medal. Punk ass kid. Bet you is parents are worse.
Make this go viral – and famous !!!!
Taking this child’s phone, putting there hands on a minor, not letting him call his mom. Repulsive. They should ALL be held accountable, esp the women.
A “Notice to Appear” (a “Desk Appearance Ticket” in New York) is simply one of several methods to initiate a criminal proceeding. Though it is usually teserved for low level crimes, it bears no importance to the case. There is little need to do a full blown arrest which needlessly expends the time and resources of. The Sheriff’s office. It is not and should not be thought of as a weapon to punish the accused before guilt is determined. Focus oon substantive issues rather than procedural minutiae.
This Schuman dude isn’t a lawyer. He went to Oneonta which is a 3rd tier state school in upstate NY known mostly for drinking. It is a gym teacher college, really.