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Public Safety

Teen Jailed For Threats Against Schoolmates

SANTEE (CNS) - A Cajon Park Elementary School student was facing a possible felony charge today for allegedly sending menacing text messages to two female classmates.

Deputies detained the 14-year-old suspect at the Santee campus Thursday afternoon and took him to juvenile hall for booking on suspicion of making criminal threats, according to sheriff's officials. The youth's name was withheld because he is a minor.

A girl who attends the North Magnolia Avenue school reported receiving a text message containing a statement that she would be slain on campus, Detective John Whiteman said. A second victim also came forward to report that she had gotten a text message that made mention of a supposed plan to kill someone and hide the body.

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Investigators were able to trace the communications to the suspect, who had no known access to guns, the detective said.

Sheriff's officials and school administrators "take every threat seriously,'' according to Whiteman.

"The security and safety of our students is the most important thing,'' he said. "We are always going to err on the side of safety and caution. We will take action even if (a threat) was meant as a joke.''

KPBS has created a public safety coverage policy to guide decisions on what stories we prioritize, as well as whose narratives we need to include to tell complete stories that best serve our audiences. This policy was shaped through months of training with the Poynter Institute and feedback from the community. You can read the full policy here.