It has been a while–a year and a week, to be precise–since a Flagler County student was arrested for allegedly making death threats involving a school. That lull came to an end today when a 12-year-old Indian Trails Middle school girl was arrested and charged before dawn with a felony count of threatening a mass shooting.
Neither the child nor her parents, who live in a new subdivision in northwest Palm Coast, own firearms. The child’s parents reported to authorities that she had suicidal thoughts two months ago, though they’d been unable to set up an appointment with a therapist.
In the overwhelming majority of such cases, the threats are spoken irresponsibly and jokingly. The evidence in this case points in a more alarming direction, with the student going through deliberate, preliminary plans before her messages on Snapchat alerted others and put a halt to it.
According to the girl’s heavily redacted arrest report, the incident appears to have originated on Monday, when the girl, a 6th grader, became upset about social media chatter that seemed to involve her. Someone out of state detected “Snapchat messages from a friend about wanting to kill people and shooting up a school.” The alleged threat was relayed to others in Flagler County, who alerted the Sheriff’s Office. (This is the first year that 6th graders were shifted from elementary schools to middle schools in the district.)
Deputies’ investigations examined some of the Snapchat messages that had been saved, among them an indication that the girl was trying to obtain a firearm from another juvenile. Deputies conducted much of their investigation overnight, in two cases waking up young students who’d already gone to sleep–one of the witnesses, then, after speaking with her parents, the 12-year-old suspect herself. She agreed to speak with deputies, but that part of the account is blacked out in her arrest report.
A sheriff’s release states that the deputies’ investigation revealed “several messages referencing killing people and shooting up the school,” and that “upon questioning, the student referenced plans to conduct a mass shooting at ITMS but they needed to gather supplies to use first. The suspect had convinced their parent to purchase them a pair of football gloves and had been in contact with another student in an attempt to obtain a firearm.”
In Florida, it is generally easier to obtain a firearm than to secure a therapist or psychiatrist. Florida law changed after the school shooting in Parkland in 2018, making written threats to kill a second-degree felony regardless of the age of the person making the threats. Dozens of Flagler County students have since been arrested on such charges, though in no case had there been evidence of actual harm planned. Courts typically sentence the offender to probation.
“We don’t like making these arrests, but we will come knocking on your door if your child makes any threat to harm someone,” Sheriff Rick Staly said in a statement. “Thank you to the parent who found messages on their child’s phone and then reported it to us so we could take swift action to prevent an incident from occurring within Flagler County Schools. I also hope this child gets the mental health help that is obviously needed.”
Mental health treatment for children had been lacking in Flagler County in recent years, but the school district and agencies like Flagler Cares now make such options more readily available, starting with counselors and psychologists at school.
The last such case in Flagler schools involved a 13-year-old student at Buddy Taylor Middle School, when that student was alleged to have carelessly made an empty threat during lunch, because fellow-students kept asking him about a rumor they’d heard.
Liz says
What is happening to our city here what is happening to the kids here I just don’t get it I don’t want to hear any more how this is the retirement place to live Palm Coast because it is not it is grown to the extent apartments or just popping up everywhere everything’s through the roof you can’t afford to buy a home and everyone’s going crazy this is awful it’s actually scary with these children this day and age now what is happening and Felons winding up in Palm Coast and shootings and kids killing their families in Palm Coast I’ve never seen such a thing in my life 15 years living here
30 years and nothings changed says
This is what happens when no one has access to good jobs, good health care (especially mental health care), a living wage, any culture or activites to blow off steam, care and homes for the homelss, and dependency issues that everyone wants to just send to jail or sweep under the rug. There is no sense of community here. As a person who ran screaming from this place as soon as I could and moved to an area with access to all of those things, I’m tell you, things have to change. You have to vote for people who care about mental health. You have to vote for people who want to work for the citizens, not just let development run wild for the kickbacks. You have to have art, music, access to workshops, community outreach. You have to stop businesses from destroying our enviornment. You all keep electing the same kind of people and are surprised when you get the same bad reasults. How many people have to die or get hurt? How many manatees and scrub jays and eagles are we going to kill?
LAW ABIDING CITIZEN says
30 years and nothing changed: there are 2 clowns on the FCBOCC that still need to go and one on the PC city council, we all know who they are and they themselves know who they are, they are the ones who are for the developers overgrowth and keep passing the agendas, thank God we got rid of one of their clown friends, 3 more clowns to go!
The dude says
I just received an email from my daughters 4th grade choir teacher back in Atlanta, he’s invited all choir alum to come to their Christmas concert this year and join the choir onstage to sing since it’s the first in-person show they’ve been able to do since pandemic.
Flagler county was just trying to discontinue a popular and enriching orchestra program, probably for no other reason than personal vendetta against the director or rather, who the director is married to.
A boy got beat up yesterday in Pedro Martinez HS (up in St Johns county) so bad he’ll have his jaws wired shut for the rest of the school year.
You all wonder why the few children around here act like animals? Look in the mirror.
There is no community here, and certainly no culture.
Steve says
The Culture is Bunnell and the morons on the street corners with their flags and signs
Bianca says
I agree it’s crazy how a parent would let their child have a gun I mean who does that? And who would bail someone out of jail who’s gonna do mass shooting at a school.
Bianca says
I agree. I mean what parent would let their child have a gun? That’s just crazy. And then the parent and her friend bailed her out of jail. Who does that? SHES GONNA SHOOT UP HTE SCHOOL. And i go to ITMS I’m in 6th grade Probably she will probably she won’t i mean lets get realistic she probably learned her lesson right?
Tell it like it is says
Where have you been then? This is not a PC issue – this has been an ongoing issue throughout the USA-SMH! Some ppl just don’t want to WAKE TF UP!! Turn off Fox news and listen to what is REALLY happening here. Retirement community? LOL – what do you really mean? This place has never been a “retirement community” lady! Maybe you mean another “type” of community – one where everyone looks the same, thinks the same and have the same political views perhaps?? You will need to move to a secluded island or another country and good luck! Bcs anywhere you go here is the good Ol’ US of A that is what you will deal with.
Aj says
Easier to get a firearm than to get a therapist is sad. The world we live in.
sick sad world says
That’s how republicans want it. I have nothing against guns, but we should care more about access to mental health care than guns
Justin Case says
Would the author care to list sources? When making a claim that contains the word generally, I would be skeptical. Firearms are not just for Republicans – Democrats also buy firearms. When the pandemic was at it’s peak, some Democrats attempted to buy firearms, and found out that there is paperwork that must be filled out, and a waiting period, unless you have a CCW.
Gina Weiss says
The child had suicidal thoughts about 2 months ago and the parents were unable to schedule an appointment with a therpaist???? Translates that there is a breakdown in our system here!!!! FCBOCC and PC seated officials WAKE UP CALL! Get off your butts and do something.
worried and exhausted says
I only have an anxiety disorder and my doctor has been trying to get just one of six therapists to call me back for three months. Who are we voting for that cares this little about mental health?
James says
These social media websites are destroying the young children in our country. We have an ex president who promotes hate and violence, and they see he has gotten away with it and it seems acceptable behavior which it isn’t.
My heart goes out to this girls parents.
The dude says
Social media has done quite a number on the olds too…
Used to be meetings of the John Birch Society was how the old cranks had to get together.
Now it’s MAGA facebook groups.
Wow says
“In Florida, it is generally easier to obtain a firearm than to secure a therapist or psychiatrist. “.
i. e. No prevention strategies only punishment strategies afterwards.