Two boys in Volusia County have been charged after authorities said they vandalized a school library, causing more than $50,000 in damage and triggering a late-night police response.
The Volusia County Sheriff’s Office said surveillance and body-worn camera footage released on the agency’s Facebook page show a 12-year-old, identified as Felix Cohen Romero, and a 13-year-old, identified as Bentley Ryan Wehrly, breaking into the Friendship Elementary School media center in Deltona. Deputies said the youths later returned and set off a fire alarm, prompting officers to respond at about 1 a.m. Sunday.
Bodycam video posted by the sheriff’s office shows deputies entering the school with weapons drawn while the building’s alarm system blared. Deputies described shattered glass, broken furniture, books scattered across the floor and graffiti on doors and walls inside the library and adjoining media center.
The sheriff’s office released still images of the suspects taken from surveillance footage. Photos show one youth wearing a Monster Energy hat and both wearing face coverings when the alleged break-in occurred, officials said. Mugshot photos distributed by the sheriff’s office show the teens after they were identified and turned in to authorities by their mothers following the agency’s social media post.
Each boy was charged with two counts of burglary, two counts of trespassing on school grounds, criminal mischief and theft, the sheriff’s office said. The agency estimated repairs and replacement of library materials would exceed $50,000.
The incident prompted the sheriff’s office to highlight the footage in a public post that led to the youths being identified by family members, according to deputies. The agency did not provide details about any court appearances, bail or the juveniles’ current custody status in its release.
School vandalism and security incidents often raise questions for local officials about campus safety measures and the costs of repairing damage to public property. The Volusia County Sheriff’s Office said it would continue its investigation but did not offer a motive for the alleged actions.
Local school officials did not immediately respond to requests for comment. The sheriff’s office release provided the names and ages of the youths and the list of charges; because the suspects are juveniles, further proceedings will typically follow the county’s juvenile justice protocols.