Empty feral cat shelter prompts bomb squad response outside elementary, middle schools in Waldorf

BALTIMORE - An empty feral cat shelter made from a plastic cooler prompted Maryland State Police Bomb Squad to respond to a middle school and elementary school in Waldorf Tuesday morning.

Before school was scheduled to start, officers were called to Berry Elementary School and Mattawoman Middle School campuses for a suspicious package that was reported outside the schools.

Police cleared after learning the package was just a feral cat shelter.

Berry Elementary School will be closed for the day. The students who took a bus to school were taken to Westlake High School where parents can pick them up.

The rest of the students who were at the school when a suspicious package was reported will be taken to Westlake High School for pickup.

The Charles County Public School district said Mattawoman Middle School is resuming normal operations.