UPDATE @ 4:55 p.m. (April 9): A Miami County Juvenile Court magistrate entered denials today on behalf of a 12-year-old Tipp City boy charged with three felonies accusing him of threatening two administrators and to blow up Tippecanoe Middle School.
The boy, accompanied by his parents, made an initial appearance before Magistrate Rebecca Hall.
Hall explained to him that he faced "serious charges" of delinquency by reason of aggravated menacing and delinquency by reason of disorderly conduct. A public defender will meet with the family to discuss the charges further before a pretrial hearing, she said.
Tipp City police said the written threats were found the afternoon of March 22 in a school classroom. Police called to the school and identified the suspect in a short time.
The boy has been expelled for 80 days, his mother told the court, and she is working to place him in an online school. He will use a computer under supervision of an adult, she said.
He is not in detention. Hall told the boy he would remain with his parents if he followed the court's conditions, which include no threats or acts of violence; begin the online school as soon as possible; and follow all household rules.
“You need to be on your best behavior,” the magistrate told the boy.
EARLIER REPORT (March 22)
The Tipp City Exempted Village Schools said Thursday that a middle school student faces misdemeanor charges including aggravated menacing and disorderly conduct after he allegedly made written comments threatening intent to harm two adults within the building and to cause building destruction.
Tipp City police were notified and are investigating the incident. There were no injuries.
“The Tipp City Police Department does not deem the student to be an immediate threat to students, staff, or the community,” Superintendent Gretta Kumpf said in a written statement.
Kumpf said the district emphasized the police were confident there is no additional threat of harm from the incident. She said the student will remain out of school during the investigation.
Police said the threats were found in a classroom, turned over to administrators and a suspect identified. The juvenile admitted to writing the threats, police stated.
Police said charges were filed after contact with Miami County prosecutors. The student is charged with two counts of aggravated menacing and one count of disorderly conduct.
The student, a boy, is with parents but that could change, police said Thursday evening.
Parents were notified of the threats via a phone call, Liz Robbins, district community relations director, said.
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