A 13-year-old student at Liberty (NY) Middle School is facing charges for falsely reporting an incident that caused panic among students and parents last week.
On Friday, October 25, Liberty Middle and High Schools were briefly placed on lockdown due to an accidental activation of the school’s automated warning system during maintenance work. According to the Village of Liberty Police Department, there was no actual threat to either building. Officers quickly searched both buildings with school officials, lifted the lockdown, and returned the schools to normal operations.
Roughly two hours after the lockdown was lifted, a fake image purporting to be from the Liberty Central School District circulated on social media. The fraudulent image falsely claimed that the prior lockdown was prompted by an actual incident harming students and teachers.
Police investigated and identified the originator of the fake post as a 13-year-old Liberty Middle School student. The student was charged with Falsely Reporting an Incident in the Third Degree, a misdemeanor, and was petitioned to Sullivan County Family Court. The school district is also taking appropriate action according to the LCSD Code of Conduct.
“This malicious, fraudulent post was made with the clear intent of frightening, alarming, and disrupting the lives of students, teachers, parents, and the entire school community,” said Police Chief Steven D’Agata. “For someone to falsely claim that harm came to students and staff in a potential tragedy is deeply disturbing. It is absolutely essential that parents talk to their children about the very real consequences reckless behavior on social media can have for both individuals and the community. Our department, along with Liberty Central School District staff, remains deeply committed to the safety and security of all students and staff.”