PORTLAND – A Lewiston police detective and the former chief have been named in a federal suit filed by a woman who claims she was roughed up and dragged out of her apartment during a 4th of July birthday party for her 5-year-old daughter this year.

Tanisha Solomon, 38, is suing Detective Tom Murphy, former Chief Michael Bussiere and other unnamed officers in U.S. District Court. According to court records, Solomon claims Murphy and other officers stormed into her Bates Street apartment without a warrant and forced her to the police station without ever filing a charge.

Police were reportedly searching for Solomon’s 19-year-old son when they burst into her apartment while the family was celebrating the 5-year-old’s birthday.

The son does not live there, according to the complaint, and was not present on the afternoon of July 4.

“The defendant officers searched the apartment, then ripped Ms. Solomon out of the apartment while her children screamed in fear,” according to the suit.

“Detective Murphy then placed Ms. Solomon in handcuffs, dragged her down two flights of stairs, smashed her face into a wall, threatened her and then interrogated her at the Lewiston Police Department headquarters, all without declaring her to be under arrest or charging her with a crime.”

The suit, filed on Thursday, paints a picture of a child’s birthday party turned into a chaotic scene, with screaming children and rampaging police.

In addition to the 5-year-old, children ages 6, 9 and 13 were in the home when the search took place, according to court documents. In the documents, the children are identified only by initials.

“One of the children, the 13-year-old KS, backed up against the wall with a look of terror on his face, thrusting his little hands in the air,” according to one passage in the suit.

“When defendants first forced their way into her apartment,” according to another, “Ms. Solomon was in the living room, showing DS a pair of new birthday earrings.”

“Ms. Solomon … repeatedly told the officers that they were not welcome in the house and they needed to leave if they did not have a warrant,” the suit continues. “At no time did the officers display a warrant, nor did they respond at all to Ms. Solomon’s … orders to leave the premises.”

The suit accuses police of violating several of Solomon’s constitutional rights, including those protecting her from unlawful searches, excessive force and false imprisonment.

The suit alleges that Bussiere was at the apartment when the incident took place, however, Bussiere said in a phone call late Thursday night that he was on vacation and out of the state at that time.

Solomon says that after she was questioned by Murphy at the police station, the detective drove her home and indirectly apologized to her.

“Before releasing her from custody, defendant Murphy said, ‘We’re cool, right? I owe you one,'” according the document.

Solomon is seeking an unspecified amount of money in the suit. She is being represented by attorney Michael J. Waxman.

It was unclear Thursday who would be representing police in the lawsuit.