5/8/14 West Holmes Middle School student admits to making bomb threats
By Nick Sabo
May 8, 2014
440
SUMMARY: A male student in sixth grade admitted Thursday May 8 in juvenile court to making bomb threats Jan. 31 at the middle school. Sentencing is scheduled for June 3.
A West Holmes Middle School student admitted to a charge Thursday May 8 that he wrote bomb threats in a school bathroom.
The student, a 13-year-old boy in the sixth grade, entered a plea of admission in Holmes County Juvenile Court to one charge of inducing panic, a second-degree felony. An admission plea is the equivalent of a guilty plea in juvenile court.
The charge stems from Jan. 31. According to Assistant Prosecuting Attorney Sean Warner, the boy, who was then age 12, wrote two notes in a boys restroom at the middle school. The notes, written in pencil on a stall and a bathroom wall, were similarly phrased and indicated a time of detonation, 10:30.
Handwriting samples by the student were obtained and matched the handwriting in the threats, Warner said. The boy was interviewed by school faculty with law enforcement present and admitted to writing the note, Warner said. The boy further produced the pencil used to write the note.
The note caused the middle school to be evacuated while law enforcement conducted a search. No explosive device was found.
The boy had no explanation when asked why he had written the threats, Warner said.
Middle School Principal Jeff Woods said the student is completing his studies in an out of school program and there have been no serious behavior issues.
The boys mother, speaking in court before Juvenile Court Judge Thomas Lee, said the boys behavior is improving and he is helping out at home.
Sentencing is scheduled for June 3.
The bomb threat was the third of four made by students in the 2013 - 2014 school year. Two male students have been sentenced in the first two bomb threats. An 11-year-old girl has been charged in the fourth bomb threat, made March 11 at Millersburg Elementary.
