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Southeast Delco School District Superintendent Trudie Bennett said Friday she was aware a student was arrested Thursday, but could not immediately address the gap in reporting the incident to police.
"If we did drop the ball, it’s unacceptable," she said, noting she planned to look into it.
"To me, safety is paramount. We don’t have a moment of luxury to slip up."
At the same time the student’s mother was meeting with high school officials Thursday morning, Collingdale police had the teen in custody at the station -- questioning him about suspicious behavior in a borough parking lot.
"He said he was skipping school," Collingdale Police Chief John Hewlings said.
Academy Park High School Principal Eric Turman said he learned of the incident "first thing" Thursday. He said the teacher found the note late Wednesday afternoon and notified the assistant principal. He and the assistant principal missed seeing other at the end of the day Wednesday.
Turman said it was not known when or where the note was written.
When he learned of the incident Thursday, Turman said it was his intention to call the student’s mother, but before he had the chance, she arrived on her own to discuss concerns she had about her son. He said he met with the mother, as well as the student’s probation officer. He was not at liberty to discuss the student’s criminal history.
Police were called to the school, he said.
According to Turman, a teacher found the note when the student had fallen asleep in the class. He said the content of the note was not immediately clear; and one had to read the note closely to understand what it stated.
The note in part, he said, read "killist," with the words running together. Listed on the note were his mother, father, his two teachers and a cousin.
According to Kelly, the teen was charged with terroristic threats, harassment and other offenses and was in custody at the Juvenile Detention Center in Lima. An adjudication hearing was pending.
Collingdale Police Chief John Hewlings said the teen was observed ducking between cars in the parking lot of the community center about 9:45 a.m. Thursday. The teen lives about a block away from the community center.
The officer contacted Southeast Delco School Police and was told that the boy’s mother was in a meeting with school officials.
Hewlings said Sharon Hill police contacted his department and asked that he be detained.
In addition to the charges filed by Sharon Hill, the teen was cited for disorderly conduct and criminal trespass in Collingdale.
Turman said the student’s locker was searched and nothing was found.
