News & Current Events
Florida Moms Report Sons To Police After $50k School Vandalism
After “their moms turned them in,” two Florida lads are facing criminal charges for allegedly damaging their school library to the tune of over $50,000.
Two males, ages 12 and 13, broke into Friendship Elementary School in Deltona, Florida, according to a report from the Volusia Sheriff’s Office on September 13. According to deputies, the two visited the campus during the day and then returned covertly later that evening.
It is said that the preteens went on a destructive spree once they were inside, throwing books all over the library floor, knocking over chairs, and writing graffiti on doors. Investigators claim that when the two went back to admire their work, the scene became more heated, resulting in additional damage and activating the fire alarm. When deputies came in response to the call, they discovered the media center of the library entirely destroyed and looted.
“Overnight, deputies responded to a fire alarm at Friendship Elementary School in Deltona. Once on scene, they found a glass door had been shattered and the media center had been vandalized,” police shared on social media, alongside body cam footage from one of the officers at the scene.
Images of wrecked property
The Volusia Sheriff’s Office provided photos that showed the full amount of the damage, including crushed furniture, books all over the floor, and property in ruins.
Additionally, CCTV footage of two suspects entering the library was released by investigators. Both boys had their faces covered in an effort to hide their identities, and one of them is visible in the footage sporting a Monster Energy cap.
‘Moms turned them in’
Tips flooded in after the pictures were made public, but the boys’ own mothers were the ones who gave the vital leads by identifying their kids and taking the tough choice to notify the police.
“Their moms turned them in,” Volusia Sheriff’s Office announced in a Sept. 15 Facebook post that included mugshots of 12-year-old Felix Cohen Romero and 13-year-old Bentley Ryan Wehrly.
“After the video posted, we received lots of emails identifying them (thank you all!), as well as contacts from each of the defendants’ mothers. The boys confessed to the incident, which caused at least $50,000 in damage to the media center. They broke into the school during the daytime hours, then returned later in the evening to look at the damage and cause more.”
Criminal charges
A number of criminal charges have been brought against each boy, including theft, criminal mischief, two counts of burglary, and two counts of trespassing on school property.
Although authorities have not yet verified how the case will be handled by the juvenile justice system, both parties may face major legal repercussions due to the extent of the damage.
Moms praised
Due in large part to the fact that the boys were held accountable by their own moms, the disturbing case has generated a lot of online response. The women received a lot of appreciation for making what must have been a very tough decision.
“Great job moms!!! I’m sure that was incredibly hard, but it was the right thing to do. Helping them learn about consequences is the hardest part of being a parent,” one person wrote in the comment section of the Facebook post.
A second wrote, “Thank you moms for seeing your child needs to see the world doesn’t revolve around them and there [are] consequences to their actions! I know it was probably hard…”
Another added, “So young to be having a record,” another said. “Good job on the moms for turning them in though!”
Clean-up duty
Others went one step farther and proposed that the preteens’ punishment should include having to clean up the damage themselves.
“Assign them the library repair every day to clean up their mess from putting books back on the shelves to cleaning every nook and corner,” suggested one netizen.
“They should have to go clean it up during school hours so everyone can see,” another suggested.
In addition to criminal penalties, the lads have faced public criticism as a result of their damage. Their mothers’ choice to come out has been praised as a reminder that responsibility begins at home and as an example of stern but necessary parenting.
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