A 13-year-old middle schooler is facing three felony charges after staff at Sussex Central Middle School in Georgetown found a large kitchen knife in his backpack and police say he touched another student in a sexual manner during an argument. The boy, who lives in Millsboro, turned himself in at a state police barracks the day after the alleged incident and was released to a parent on an unsecured bond.
According to NBC10 Philadelphia, the trouble began Tuesday, September 29, when school staff searched the student's backpack and discovered the knife, then notified the school resource officer. Police say the boy had been in a social media dispute with another student that spilled into an in-person altercation at school, during which he allegedly threatened to stab the other student and touched them in a sexual manner. No injuries were reported, and the student was removed from school and turned over to a parent or guardian's custody that day, per the same account.
Surrender and Court Appearance
The boy turned himself in at Delaware State Police Troop 4 on September 30, the day after the incident, the station's report noted. He was then arraigned in Family Court and released to a parent or guardian on a $1,700 unsecured bond, according to Delaware State Police. An unsecured bond allows release without a cash deposit as long as the defendant meets future court appearance obligations.
Police identified the student as a Millsboro resident, as reported by WBOC, placing him within the Indian River School District's service area that includes Georgetown. He faces three felony counts: second-degree unlawful sexual contact, possession of a weapon in a safe zone, and carrying a concealed deadly weapon.
What the Charges Mean Under Delaware Law
Possession of a weapon in a safe school zone is codified under 11 Delaware Code § 1457, which per the Delaware Code can carry a mandatory school suspension of at least 180 days for juveniles adjudicated of weapons offenses on school grounds. Carrying a concealed deadly weapon is a Class G felony under 11 Delaware Code § 1442 when the weapon is a non-firearm deadly weapon such as a large kitchen knife, a standard that does not apply to ordinary closed folding pocketknives with blades of 3.75 inches or less, according to legal information published by Delaware code resources.
The sexual contact charge, second-degree unlawful sexual contact, is defined under 11 Delaware Code § 768 as intentionally causing non-consensual sexual contact with a victim under 18 and is classified as a Class F felony, per Justia's Delaware code database. Family Court holds primary jurisdiction over juvenile felony cases in the state.
District Response and Security Investment
In an October 1 statement, the Indian River School District confirmed the student is being disciplined under its Student Code of Conduct and said student and staff safety remains its top priority, according to CoastTV. Federal and state privacy laws prevent the district from disclosing specifics about individual student disciplinary actions. Separately, Delaware Department of Education Regulation 614 requires districts to initiate formal suspension, alternative placement, or expulsion procedures for students who commit illegal weapon or sexual assault offenses on campus, and school boards must report serious disciplinary decisions to the state within five business days.
The school resource officer who was notified about the knife is part of a security presence funded through a $1.9 million plan the Indian River School District Board of Education approved in July 2025, stationing Delaware State Police school resource officers and armed constables across district campuses, including Sussex Central Middle School, per Bay to Bay News. Sussex Central Middle School sits at 26026 Patriots Way in Georgetown, part of a contiguous complex it shares with Sussex Central High School.
Part of a Broader Pattern
This is the second time in recent weeks that a Delaware school resource officer has intervened after a weapon turned up during a student altercation. On September 14, a 17-year-old at Glasgow High School in Newark was arrested after an SRO found a loaded gun in his backpack following a hallway fight.
For anyone affected by sexual assault, the National Sexual Assault Telephone Hotline is available at 800-656-4673, and the National Sexual Violence Resource Center provides resources for victims.
