In the messages, the woman told the 11-year-old to stay away from her daughter and repeatedly asked the girl for her home address, according to messages obtained by investigators. — AP
A mom sent a series of threatening messages to her daughter’s 11-year-old classmate on TikTok over a conflict between the two girls, Florida authorities said.
The 28-year-old woman now faces a charge of sending a written or electronic threat to kill or do bodily harm to another person, according to a probable cause affidavit.
The mother of a sixth-grade student at a West Palm Beach middle school told authorities her daughter and another student were involved in a conflict but were able to resolve it through school intervention, the Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office said.
But then in January, the girl started getting threatening and profanity-laden messages on TikTok, deputies said. She believed they came from accounts linked to the other student’s parents.
In the messages, the woman told the 11-year-old to stay away from her daughter and repeatedly asked the girl for her home address, according to messages obtained by investigators.
She also sent the girl her own address, taunted her and called her names.
The dozens of messages included exchanges such as: “Run it we been ready I have a car”, “come outside bb unless ya scary”, “let’s go unless u scared” and “we fighting”.
The woman identified herself to the girl as the mom of her classmate and told the child to “tell ya mama what’s up”, authorities reported.
Messages that deputies said came from the father also threatened the 11-year-old. Jail and court records do not show charges filed against him.
The girl eventually blocked the accounts and showed investigators the messages, prompting them to request search warrants on the accounts. TikTok provided deputies account information and messages on March 26, identifying the parents as the owners of the accounts.
The woman was arrested March 27 and released the next day on US$15,000 bond, jail records show.
Her arrest coincides with a bill signed by Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis that will ban kids under age 14 from having social media accounts. The law is expected to face legal challenges.
The woman’s public defender declined to comment to McClatchy News. – The Charlotte Observer/Tribune News Service
