A twelve-year-old Schuyler County boy who made online threats he was going to be a “professional school shooter” at Odessa Montour Hanlon School was placed in the custody of social service officials on Monday (November 5) by the Schuyler County Family Court.
The boy, whose name was not released because of his age, was found to be a “Person in Need of Supervision” in June of this year, based on allegations that he made statements constituting “a terroristic threat,” in text messages and in person, a felony if committed by an adult. Sheriff’s deputies charged the boy after being contacted by school staff who discovered the comments. County officials took immediate action to ensure that the boy had no access to firearms and that the threats were false.
The case was prosecuted for the county by Schuyler County Attorney Steven Getman’s office. At Monday’s sentencing hearing, the prosecution recommended that the boy be placed in detention, due to the underlying charges as well as the boy’s failures to behave in school and cooperate with probation supervision since the June court date.
After reviewing the evidence, Schuyler County Family Court Judge Dennis Morris determined that the boy should be removed from the home for his own good. Therefore, Morris ordered the boy placed in the custody of the Schuyler County Department of Social Services for up to six months.
Assisting in the investigation and prosecution of this matter were the Schuyler County Sheriff’s Department, Odessa Montour Hanlon School officials, the school resource officer, the Schuyler County Probation Department and caseworkers with the Department of Social Services.
