Sorry, wrong number

Another raid gone wrong in New York. Thank God there were no fatalities this time but the deaf woman with asthma and her two young children will never be quite the same.

Mini Matos, 28, and her two children were fast asleep when about five cops from Brooklyn South Narcotics burst into her apartment in the Gravesend Houses in a predawn raid Jan. 15. Before Matos was aware of what was going on, she was pulled from her bed and handcuffed. Her son, Benny, 8, and daughter, Mayralee Matos, 5 - asleep on bunk beds in an adjoining room - were startled by the commotion and burst into tears.

"I actually thought I was dreaming," Matos said. "When they handcuffed me I was having trouble breathing. I told them I had asthma and I needed my asthma pump. But nobody was paying attention to me."

Some time passed before one of the officers came in and announced they had raided the wrong apartment.

Now, nearly three months later, she says she and her kids are still not over their ordeal. "My son understands more, but my daughter couldn't sleep for two days and she thinks they're going to break in again," Matos said. "I'm also worried it's going to happen again. I keep getting up and looking at my door.

Not much chance those kids will grow up thinking the police are their to protect them.