Florida authorities announced the arrest of a mother and her 14-year-old daughter Thursday after allegedly finding a “kill list” on the teen’s phone.
Police were notified March 8 of an alleged “kill list” consisting of eight students’ names, then conducted a school threat investigation at West Gate K-8 School in Port St. Lucie, local authorities said via Facebook. Authorities then arrested the student’s 40-year-old mother, Brooke Lynn Hinkle, on charges of child neglect, possession of cocaine and drug paraphernalia after searching their home for weapons.
Police said the home’s living conditions were “deplorable,” and that drugs were in visible sight. (RELATED: ‘Dangerous Mother’: Suspect Has List Of Charges Before Stabbing 14-Year-Old Boy On Bike)
“After an anonymous tip on Tuesday afternoon, school faculty notified deputies of a list of eight juveniles’ names on the student’s phone that was labeled as a ‘kill list,'” Chief Deputy Brian Hester said. “The parents of these juveniles have been contacted.”
Police said the student was taken for processing at the Department of Juvenile Justice, according to the release. Hinkle has since resided at the St. Lucie County Jail on a $6,250 bond.
Hester said they are “committed to a safe learning environment” and encouraged parents to communicate with their children on the consequences of verbal threats.
“We are committed to providing a safe learning environment for our children and continue to work diligently with St. Lucie Public Schools to do so,” the chief deputy said. “It is also imperative for parents to provide a safe home environment for their children and to talk to their children about the dangers of written and verbal threats in school settings as well as the consequences of their actions.”