Family sues Sarasota Police Department

A North Port family is suing the Sarasota Police Department. They say one of it's officers gave out information from a police database, which they claim led to a night of terror for the family.

The 20-page lawsuit was filed today. It contends the crime wouldn't have happened without Officer Katrina Young.

Attorney Damian Mallard represents the family.  "Her relatives had been in some type of verbal altercation with my client's husband at a nightclub." 

It's because of that altercation the lawsuit claims Young used a police database to get the man's North Port address two years ago. Two men broke into the home in an attempt to threaten the man, who was not there. Mallard said, "The wife and the three children, my clients, were present and were forcibly removed from their beds. Were threatened with knives and guns that they were going to be killed if they did not disclose where the father was."

The family's attorney says one person was arrested in connection to the home invasion. Although no one was physically hurt from the incident, the emotional scars are still there. Mallard said, "These children have all been so traumatized by this. They cannot even sleep in the house anymore because they are too fearful to do so. They've been displaced and have had to move to another county."

Documents from the City of Sarasota show Young was fired at the end of 2010. Police officials say they won't comment on the lawsuit, until they see the details.

The family's attorney says the department has 30 days to respond to the lawsuit. The family is suing for $200,000.