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A mother from Liverpool, England is speaking out after a video of her "dragging" her child across pavement went viral last week.In the video, which has been viewed thousands of times, you can see the 31-year-old single mother pulling her child by what appears to be a leash. The boy is in a fetal position of sorts, seemingly unfazed as a witness filmed the incident. People have been outraged by the footage, but in an interview with Echo, the woman claims that her son, 4, has severe autism and reacts badly around crowds of people. "He has meltdowns and throws himself on the floor," she said. "What I am doing in that video is the only way I can move him. He does it all the time and won't get up or let me pick him up.""People are making me out to be a bad mom — I am not a bad mom," the woman continued. "They should ask before they judge. ... People don't understand how hard it is having an autistic child, especially when they are so strong. He has attacked me before and knocked me off my feet, but he doesn't know he is hurting me."Child Psychologist Lauren Elder, Autism Speaks Assistant Director for Dissemination Science, wrote in a blog post that during these situations, it can be helpful to tell witnesses about your child and instruct them on how to aid you if they offer assistance.The mother in the video said only two women came up to her during her son's breakdown, and she informed them about his condition. The rest of people walking by, she claims, "just stared." According to Autism Speaks' Challenging Behaviors Tool Kit, when managing a crisis situation such as public meltdowns, it's important to develop a plan best suited for that individual. The mother of the autistic boy in the video explained that she had the leash or "reins" on him because "he has no sense of danger." She insisted: "I try my best ... and people who know me, know that I am a good mom."Since speaking out, there have been mixed opinions about what happened — some people are still outraged. "I have a disabled child and yes some days are more difficult than others, but I would NEVER ever treat my child like that she should of waited for him to calm down before dragging him down the street like that," one woman wrote on Facebook. Others are sympathizing with the young mom, as this parent commented: "My sons' meltdowns could last up to 6 hours. Never knew when they were coming. Please don't judge until you walk in her shoes. She needs help not condemnation." Echo reports that police investigated the video last week.Register for the entire Autism Speaks Challenging Behaviors Tool Kit here.(h/t Working Mother)