Full Notification

UPDATE: Social Media, Threats, and Teenagers

This is an update to the investigation regarding threats to a student at Lone Hill Middle School in San Dimas.

The victim’s family is very grateful for the displays of support from the girl’s classmates and the community. There has been unanimous support for the victim.

As reported by various sources, there was at least one additional threat posted via social media this week. Like the previous messages, the messages appear to be made by middle school students directed at one intended victim. The threats have been directed at a particular girl, and there is no indication that other students might be at risk. The victim is safe at home, and she is aware of the support of her schoolmates and the community.

Instagram has been very cooperative, but details of the findings are not yet conclusive. This is still a very open ended investigation, which will be pursued as quickly as possible to a logical conclusion. We are encouraged by the findings of the investigators so far. The forensic process of gathering electronic evidence often takes several rounds of search warrants, as we follow up on information that we receive. The investigation seems to have a good likelihood of a definitive answer in the end.

The victim’s family has requested that no one outside the Sheriff’s Department contact them. Our primary concern is the safety of the students, and we will continue to focus our efforts on preventing violence and any further threats. As a precautionary measure, we do have extra presence on and around the campus and the victim’s home. We hope to preserve peace and normalcy for the victim and other students at the school. We have been, and will continue to be, in contact with school officials to distribute information to families as it becomes available.

The following information was distributed on April 15, 2015, and contains valuable advice for parents. We hope to resolve this case in a manner that provides relief to the school and the neighborhood as soon as possible.

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Social Media, Threats, and Teenagers
When threats to any person occur, we take the threats seriously and investigate to whatever extent possible. When threats involve children and teens, it necessitates significant attention from law enforcement, schools, and parents.

Recently, threats were posted via social media account from anonymous persons. The threats and denigrating messages were directed at a student at a local school in San Dimas. Immediate steps were taken to ensure the safety of the intended target of the threats, and to address the safety of all students at the school. School officials have cooperated and assisted investigators from the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department in identifying potential sources of the threats. The forensic investigation – the legal and technical process of identifying the persons who created the accounts and the devices or locations used – will take some time. In the meantime, school and law enforcement personnel will take the reasonable steps necessary to protect the students. The Sheriff’s Department will continue the investigation to conclusion.

Conflicts at school, and bullying, are very real problems. When the conflicts expand to social media, parents are often unaware of the communication occurring silently on cell phones and computers. Parents should remain aware of the online activities of their children, and educate them of the serious consequences of bullying and threats. Children are sometimes suspended or expelled from school based on the serious nature of threats, often considered crimes, or at least violations of school policies.

The Role of Parents on the Internet

The website Web MD noted that, “Teens are teens, online or off.” Web MD had the following advice, “With such online perils, tried and true parenting skills, such as letting children know you love them and setting clear, consistent guidelines, may be more important than ever.” “Parents should be proactive and fold the Internet into engaged parental activity,” says Anne Collier, executive director of Net Family News Inc. Collier advises parents to talk to their kids regularly about their online activities: what sites they visit most often and if they ever see things that make them uneasy.”

Parents should recognize that an internet-enabled phone (or any device capable of downloading “apps” or accessing the internet) is an internet machine, capable of almost anything a stand-alone computer can do. As such, users can fall victim to predators and anonymous bullies, or be exposed to harmful material from anywhere in the world. Would you allow your child to walk unsupervised at any hour of the day or night, anywhere? Consider the internet a space where parental attention and supervision is just as critical as any other place.

Not only can minors fall victim to others, they might choose to do things illegal, or harmful to others. Parents should counsel children on acceptable behavior and activities online. A simple standard that might apply is, “Don’t do anything online or with your phone that you wouldn’t do in front of me.” Many advise that parents should possess, and use, the passwords to all devices and accounts for minor children. As one local parent said, “Getting a smart phone or tablet is a privilege, not a right.”

While the free internet has many powerful and useful qualities, parents should be mindful of the potential for abuse by, or against, children. Please monitor these activities, and report threats or other crimes to local authorities.

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SAN DIMAS STATION

San Dimas Sheriff’s Station is one of six stations within the East Patrol Division of the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department. The Station’s jurisdiction encompasses approximately 276 square miles. In addition to serving the City of San Dimas, the station serves unincorporated communities of Azusa, Covina, Glendora, La Verne, Claremont, Pomona, the Los Angeles County portion of Mt. Baldy, a large portion of the Angeles National Forest (State Route 39), and portions of Angeles Crest Highway (Highway 2). The population for these areas is approximately one hundred and five thousand (105,000), nearly sixty sixty-nine thousand (69,000) in the unincorporated areas and more than thirty-six thousand (36,000) in the City of San Dimas.

San Dimas Sheriff’s Station
Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department
270 S. Walnut Avenue
San Dimas, CA 91773
(909) 450-2700

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Jim McDonnell, Sheriff
Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department