Henrico Police responded to 11-year-old’s home 3 times before Florida authorities arrested him for threats

An 11-year-old boy from Henrico County, Virginia, has been extradited to Florida to face charges after allegedly making over 20 swatting calls and school threats. These incidents, which took place in May, prompted widespread fear in Flagler County, Florida. Sheriff Rick Staly reported that the child placed calls to several emergency centers, claiming to have planted bombs in schools and threatening to carry out a mass shooting. The threats led to significant disruption in the local community, with schools forced into lockdown and parents keeping their children at home during the last week of the school year. “There was a lot of fear in the community,” said Sheriff Staly, who added that many students missed the final days of school because of the threats.

Investigation and Charges

Following a 10-week investigation, authorities tracked the threats back to the boy’s home in Henrico County, Virginia. Investigators filed 28 felony charges against him, including making terroristic threats. Along with evidence of the threatening calls, police also found disturbing videos of animal cruelty on electronic devices seized from the juvenile’s home. Sheriff Staly emphasized that the child’s behavior was escalating, and there were growing concerns about his violent tendencies. “He was escalating his criminal behavior into a very violent tendency,” said Staly, noting that this was an unusual case for someone so young. The child is currently being held in a Florida detention center as legal proceedings continue.

Legal Controversy and Extradition Debate

The decision to extradite the boy has raised questions, with legal experts expressing surprise over such an extreme measure for an 11-year-old. CBS 6 legal analyst Todd Stone called it “highly unusual” to extradite a child of this age, stating that the case would normally be handled in the child’s home state. “The focus of the juvenile court system is to rehabilitate and provide services to young people who need it,” Stone said.

Despite this, Sheriff Staly defended the decision, saying the boy’s behavior posed a serious threat. He added that authorities in Virginia were aware of the child’s actions prior to the swatting incidents but had failed to intervene effectively. “They were aware of him and knew him,” Staly said, criticizing the earlier responses from Virginia authorities.

Henrico Police confirmed that they had responded to the child’s home on multiple occasions in 2023 for “suspicious situations” but did not specify what actions were taken at the time. Henrico Commonwealth’s Attorney Shannon Taylor expressed disappointment that her office had not been notified of these earlier incidents, suggesting that a different response might have prevented the current situation.

Focus on Rehabilitation and Accountability

As the case moves forward, there is a focus on balancing rehabilitation with accountability. While legal experts argue that juvenile cases should aim to provide services and counseling, Sheriff Staly emphasized that the boy needs strong intervention from the courts. He also hinted that the child might serve his sentence in Virginia, depending on the outcome of the trial in Florida.

“It’s not aggressive in Florida to hold individuals accountable for their actions, no matter their age,” said Staly. “If you commit a crime in this county, we’re going to investigate it, and we’re going to do everything we can to ensure you face the consequences.” The investigation remains ongoing, and authorities are working to determine how best to address the child’s behavior while ensuring the safety of the community.