Two young boys who caused $50,000 in damage to a Florida elementary school library were charged after being turned in by their mothers.
The two boys, ages 12 and 13, were caught on camera entering the school during the day on Sunday and then returning to cause additional damage, according to the Volusia County Sheriff’s Office. They later admitted to the destruction.
At around 1 a.m., deputies responded to a fire alarm at Deltona’s Friendship Elementary School.
When they arrived on scene, they discovered a shattered glass door and a vandalized media center. Body camera footage revealed extensive damage to the library and media center.
Books and furniture were strewn about the room as officers and a K9 unit examined the property.
Two people of interest were captured on camera but were initially unidentified, with images from the surveillance footage shared on social media.
However, in a case update on Monday, the sheriff’s department stated that “Their moms turned them in.”
The department stated that it has received numerous emails from members of the community identifying the two boys, including their mothers.
“Once we post on social media, it blows up — I don’t know how many tips come in telling us who these two little cherubs are and the mothers of both the little cherubs call us,” Sheriff Chitwood told Fox19.
“I’ve got to give the mothers credit. They called us, didn’t tell the kids we were coming, and when questioned, they admitted to their actions. One of them then went up to the bedroom, took out some stolen items from the school (a radio and some digital cameras), and handed them over to us.”
Officials added that the boys broke into the school during the day before returning overnight to “look at the damage and cause more.”
Both boys were charged with two counts of burglary, two counts of trespassing on school property, criminal mischief, and theft.
