Okeechobee, FL – On September 26, 2024, a serious incident at Yearling Middle School led to the arrest of four juvenile females for written threats to harm or kill. A threat assessment, conducted in partnership between the Okeechobee County Sheriff’s Office (OCSO) and the Okeechobee County School District, uncovered a chat group where various threats were made toward others. All individuals who were threatened were immediately warned, and law enforcement acted swiftly to ensure the safety of the community. If you were not notified, you were not a victim.

This incident highlights a critical issue: the need for parents to be vigilant and accountable for their child’s online activity. The vast majority—an estimated 85-90%—of the issues we are encountering in schools stem from unsupervised or poorly supervised use of social media and other online platforms, such as Snapchat, TikTok, and others. Even when parents believe they have blocked or restricted certain apps on their child’s phone, children often find ways to bypass these controls.

Parents, we implore you to take control and actively monitor what your children are doing on the internet. Talk to them about the importance of handling their emotions in a healthy way and the severe consequences of making threats online. What may seem like a “joke” to them is no laughing matter to us or the broader community.

The Okeechobee County Sheriff’s Office and the Okeechobee County School District have zero tolerance for threats of serious bodily harm or murder, and such behavior will be met with immediate and decisive action. In this recent case, some of the threats made by the students were over seemingly trivial issues, such as not being allowed to use artificial intelligence tools on their Chromebooks or frustrations over personal disagreements. Regardless of the reason, threats to kill or harm will not be taken lightly, and offenders will face arrest and prosecution.

**All district and Florida Model threat management protocols were followed** in this investigation. We urge all parents and guardians to take this opportunity to have meaningful conversations with their children about online behavior, accountability, and the real-world consequences of their actions.

If you have concerns about any potential threats or suspicious behavior, you are encouraged to report them through the FortifyFL app at [https://getfortifyfl.com/](https://getfortifyfl.com/), or contact the Okeechobee County Sheriff’s Office at (863) 763-3117 or the Okeechobee County School Board at (863) 462-5000.

ByTaylor