An 11-year-old female BCSC student accused of posting a gun-related Snapchat threat against Parkside Elementary School last week will be charged with misdemeanors, not a felony, according to Bartholomew County Prosecutor Lindsey Holden-Kay.
The juvenile has been detained at the county’s Youth Services Center this week.
Initially held on preliminary charges of felony intimidation and misdemeanor false informing in regard to the threat, Holden-Kay had seven days to make a decision whether the girl would continue to be charged with a felony, and has decided against it.
This means all court proceedings involving the 11-year-old will remain closed to the public and media. State law allows the media to cover cases of juveniles charged with offenses that would be felonies if committed by an adult.
The girl was taken into custody by investigators Sunday night.
Although the juvenile was taken into custody Sunday, the Columbus Police Department, the Bartholomew County Sheriff’s Department and Indiana State Police worked together Monday with Bartholomew Consolidated School Corp. school resource officers to provide security at all BCSC schools on Monday, Columbus police said.
Earlier, prior to the girl being taken into custody, investigators said the juvenile did not have access to weapons and the threat was determined not to be credible.
It was similar to numerous social media threats made to school corporations around the state and around the country last week, which have resulted in school attendance disruptions and student arrests.
BCSC said in a statement that the school corporation works closely with local agencies to thoroughly investigate every report of a threat. In addition to legal consequences, any student who makes a threat will face disciplinary action at school up to and including suspension and expulsion, BCSC officials said.
