A 12-year-old Florida girl is facing felony charges after investigators said she used another student’s account information to send threats targeting a teacher and threatening violence at an elementary school in Florida, as reported by Fox News.
According to the Volusia Sheriff's Office, the girl was charged with making written or electronic threats to kill and unlawful use of a two-way communications device. Both charges are felonies under Florida law.
Authorities said detectives began investigating over the weekend after receiving a report involving an explicit threat sent to a teacher at Louise S. McInnis Elementary School.
Investigators said the message included threats directed at the teacher and also claimed the sender planned to “shoot up” the school on the final day of classes.
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The threatening message was initially traced to the account of a 12-year-old boy, according to investigators. However, detectives later determined the message had allegedly been sent by the boy’s ex-girlfriend, who reportedly had access to his login credentials.
The sheriff’s office said investigators were able to determine the girl used the account information without the boy being responsible for the threats.
Authorities have not publicly released the names of either juvenile involved because of their ages.
The case quickly drew attention online after the Volusia Sheriff’s Office released video footage of the arrest on Facebook. Officials said the video generated more than one million views after being posted.
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In the footage, deputies can be seen escorting the handcuffed girl from a patrol vehicle into a detention facility. The video showed the girl, who had green hair and a septum piercing, being led by deputies while in restraints.
The footage later showed her being escorted into a jail cell and seated on a bench.
Law enforcement agencies across Florida and the country have increasingly responded aggressively to school-related threats in recent years, particularly after several high-profile school shootings raised concerns about online and written threats involving students.
Officials have repeatedly warned parents and students that threats made electronically, including those made as jokes or through another person’s account, can lead to criminal charges and arrest.
The Volusia Sheriff’s Office did not indicate whether investigators believed the girl had access to weapons or intended to carry out the threat. Authorities also did not release additional details about what led investigators to identify her as the suspect beyond the use of the student's login information.
School officials at Louise S. McInnis Elementary School did not immediately respond to a request for comment from Fox News Digital regarding the incident or any disciplinary measures related to the case.
The investigation remains ongoing.
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