On Monday, a Santa Fe High School student was arrested after a counselor reported overhearing her tell a classmate, “She doesn't even know I have a bomb in my backpack,” according to school officials. Administrators pulled the 14-year-old from class, searched her and her backpack, and suspended her while law enforcement investigated. Officers found no device, and the student was booked on a charge related to making a false bomb report.
How officials responded
According to WCJB, a guidance counselor stationed at the school’s front gate heard the remark and immediately alerted administrators. Staff escorted the student to the dean’s office, where law enforcement carried out a search of the student and her belongings. Nothing dangerous was found. The student later told detectives she intended the comment as a joke, WCJB reported.
Charge and police warning
The arrest and charge for making a false report concerning a planted bomb or explosive were reported by FOX 35 Orlando, which noted that school officials suspended the student pending further action. In a statement quoted by the outlet, police warned that “comments involving bombs, weapons, or violence are not jokes and can result in serious criminal consequences.” Authorities also urged parents to talk with students about the seriousness of threatening remarks and to report suspicious behavior right away.
Legal consequences and school policy
Making a knowingly false report about a planted bomb is a felony under state law. Florida Statute 790.163 treats such false reports as a second-degree felony and allows courts to order restitution for the costs of the law enforcement response. The Florida Department of Education classifies bomb threats as a major campus disruption and says schools must refer these cases for prosecution and may expel students involved for at least one year, according to state guidance. Local officials said there was no active threat to the campus after the search and asked anyone with information to contact law enforcement.
