The Flagler County Sheriff’s Office has arrested two students at Flagler Palm Coast High School for sending threats toward each other in a text group chat.
On January 23, a student, L.B., sent a photo of M.A., 17, in a group chat to other students. In the group chat, J.H., 18, replied that he was “going to beat the shit out of her.” M.A., who was with L.B. and believed J.H.’s threat to be a joke, used L.B.’s phone and replied, “i sent a bomb to your house and its going to fucking explode in 13 seconds you sons of bitches.” J.H. then replied with more threats, including that he would “beat her after graduation so it’s not a school incident” and that “They are not finding the body.” At the time, M.A. did not see the subsequent threats.
The next day, J.H. pushed M.A. as they were walking in the hallway following a pep rally.
A few days later, on January 28, M.A. was speaking with L.B. and another student who had a similar incident with J.H. . During this conversation, L.B. showed M.A. the subsequent threats that J.H. had sent. M.A. then reported the incident to school officials, who then contacted the school’s two school resource deputies.
Deputy First Class Nicholas Champion and Deputy Christopher Alecrim interviewed M.A., J.H. , and L.B. and reviewed the text messages sent in the group chat. At the conclusion of their investigation, deputies determined that M.A. and J.H. had made threats of violence during the incident in violation of Florida law.
M.A. was arrested for Written or Electronic Threat to Conduct a Mass Shooting or Terrorism Act due to her text in which she stated she sent a bomb to a residence. J.H. was arrested for Written or Electronic Threat to Kill or Do Bodily Harm due to his texts in which he stated he would physically harm M.A.. Both were transported to the Sheriff Perry Hall Inmate Detention Facility. M.A. was turned over to the Florida Department of Juvenile Justice, while J.H. was later released on a $1,000 bond.
“Even if kids think threats are a joke, Florida law and the Sheriff’s Office do not treat them as jokes,” said Sheriff Rick Staly. “Make sure they understand the consequences of breaking the law. Teach your children how to resolve disagreements without resorting to threats or violence. Be the Sheriff in your home or we will be.”
“We take the safety of our students very seriously,” said Flagler Schools Superintendent LaShakia Moore. “Please remind your children that comments threatening violence or harm are never taken lightly. Students must be aware that threats are not ‘jokes.’”
