15-year-old to be charged for allegedly sending racist messages and threats to classmates
A 15-year-old girl will be charged after allegedly sending racist remarks and threats to students over social media and leaving a letter in a school bathroom that resulted in it closing for a day, Tyngsborough police said.
Police received reports of racist messages starting in February that were sent over Facebook, Instagram, and Quizlet. The message targeted minority students at the Academy of Notre Dame in Tyngsborough and some of the comments included the initials of another female student, to make it seem as though she were responsible for the incidents, police said.
The situation escalated on May 16 when a letter suggesting an unspecified threat would occur at Notre Dame the next day was found in a bathroom at the school, according to police. After talking with police, administrators closed school for the day for safety reasons.
Detectives were able to trace most of the racist social media content to an internet protocol (IP) address located at the suspect’s home, according to police. When interviewed, the student confessed to making up the threats and putting the other student’s initials on the messages to try and frame her, police said.
Police Chief Richard Howe said the girl, of Lowell, would be charged with disturbing a school assembly and criminal harassment. He said there may also be additional charges filed.
Notre Dame has expelled the student as a result of the investigation.
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