Nov 15, 2006 - 04:06:19 CST
A 14-year-old girl was cited for terrorizing in relation to a threat at Simle Middle School that resulted in more than 100 students missing school Tuesday.The girl is accused of spreading false rumors about the threatening message written on a boys' bathroom wall.
Bismarck Police Lt. Dan Donlin said at a Tuesday news conference that police issued juvenile citations to the 14-year-old student for terrorizing, a Class Cfelony, and false information to law enforcement, a Class B misdemeanor.
He said she was cited with terrorizing because threats of a bomb at the school caused a serious disturbance and caused fear for students and parents.
Police do not have information indicating the girl wrote a threat on a wall inside a boys' bathroom, Donlin said. He said they believe she spread rumors that the note related to a bomb threat. Who wrote the threat is still under investigation.
"The investigation provided us with enough information, enough probable cause, to charge her with terrorizing," he said.
The message was found in the bathroom late on Nov. 8 that said "watch out Simle" with Tuesday's date preceeding it. Rumors began to spread that the threat was a bomb threat,Donlin said. He said school resource officers began investigating Thursday.
School resource officers and investigators interviewed about 18 students and several staff members on Thursday. The 14-year-old girl was one of the students interviewed at that time, Donlin said. He said she provided some inaccurate and inconsistent information, so officers talked to her again Tuesday morning.
The girl was arrested, cited and released to the custody of her parents, Donlin said. He said her parents have been working with police and school officials.
"The parents have been extremely cooperative and responsible," he said.
The girl's case will be handled in juvenile court, where records are not available to the public. Dave McGeary, director of juvenile court, said the maximum sentence the girl could face if convicted of terrorizing is a two-year commitment to the department of juvenile services, with placement at the Youth Correctional Center in Mandan.
The school had 150 absences Tuesday, Principal Russ Riehl said. Usually it has 30 absences the day after a holiday weekend, Superintendent Paul Johnson said. The school, located at 1215 N. 19th Street, has 858 students.
"Most parents called and their concerns were of safety," Johnson said.
Riehl said school officials have confirmed that at least 60 of the absences were related to the threat.
"We're guessing more than 100 students missed school today because of this," he said.
Some students will be marked unexcused if a parent did not call them in as absent, Johnson said. Students who missed school without parent permission will not be able to change it to an excused absence, he said.
The school was searched by officers and a bomb dog on Monday morning and prior to school starting on Tuesday morning, Donlin said. He said the police department's four school resource officers and a uniformed K-9 officer were present at the start of school.
"There was nothing to indicate any plan to harm the school or anybody," Johnson said.
Donlin said the school handled the threat correctly and followed policies that involved law enforcement and the school district "to a 'T.'"
(Reach reporter Sara Kincaid at 250-8251 or sara.kincaid@;bismarcktribune.com.)
current simle student wrote on Nov 16, 2006 5:09 PM:
another concerned parent wrote on Nov 16, 2006 11:48 AM:
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