12-year-old girl faces charges after posting threats to Broward schools, police say
LAUDERHILL - The Broward Sheriff's Office announced the arrest of a 12-year-old girl accused of making social media threats to county schools.
Officials said Tuesday the Lauderhill girl — who has not named but went to the Lauderhill 6-to-12 school — posted threats to several schools across Broward, including schools in Lauderdale Lakes, Lauderhill, Fort Lauderdale and Sunrise. The student told police it was a joke.
When Princess Arscott heard a message from her daughter's principal about a threat to her school, her heart sank.
"I'm scared as a mom," she said.
After the arrest, the principal of Lauderhill 6-to-12 school wrote, "The district was made aware of a noncredible threat to the school. ... The individual is now facing criminal charges as well as strict punishment."
The latest arrest comes after a 14-year-old was arrested over the weekend for allegedly threatening 10 schools district-wide.
"I don't know what it's going to take to stop this. But we need our parent support, we need our community support and we definitely need our students to think differently, think before you post. It is not a joke," said Superintendent Dr. Howard Hepburn on Tuesday after the latest arrest.
At least half a dozen threats have been made in South Florida since the school year started.
Broward School Board member Debbi Hixon, whose husband was killed in the Parkland school massacre, has an idea on how to make it stop, and it involves possibly fining parents.
"Many of the law enforcement say how expensive it is that every time there's a threat ... it's like $50,000 of resources to track it down and do all these things," she said. "Maybe there's a way, whether it's legislatively or by policy in the school board ... to figure out: is that another consequence?"
Arscott suggested a financial penalty could make some think twice. But Cheyenne C., who was picking up her sister at school, isn't so sure.
"You can throw money at a problem, but if you don't actually get to the root of it, then how are you solving it?" she said.