Two boys, ages 12 and 13, were arrested after their mothers turned them in following an alleged vandalism spree that left a Florida elementary school media center with about $50,000 in damage, Volusia County deputies said.
Felix Cohen Romero, 12, and Bentley Ryan Wehrly, 13, were identified by the Volusia Sheriff's Office as the suspects in the destruction of the media room at Friendship Elementary School in Deltona. Deputies said they were called to the school on Sunday after a fire alarm went off and discovered extensive damage, including overturned furniture, destroyed televisions and broken appliances.
The sheriff's office initially released surveillance images showing two masked individuals entering the school and asked the public for help identifying them. Deputies said the images prompted numerous tips; in an update the following day, officials announced that the boys had been arrested after their mothers turned them in and that investigators had received "lots of emails identifying them." Officials said the youths confessed when confronted.
According to investigators, the suspects first entered and damaged the media room and later returned late Sunday night to inspect the damage, setting off a fire alarm before resuming their alleged destructive actions. Body-worn camera footage released by the sheriff's office showed the media room in disarray and a smashed glass door.
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 arrests came after school administrators and law enforcement coordinated the initial response to the alarm and subsequent investigation.
One of the mothers who turned in her son, Corey Romero, identified herself on social media as a single parent. In a public post, she wrote, "Being a single mom is twice the work, twice the stress, and twice the tears but also twice the hugs," noting the personal strain of parenting amid the situation.
The sheriff's office thanked the public and the parents who came forward for their assistance in identifying the suspects. Prosecutors and juvenile authorities will determine how to proceed with the charges, which involve two minors and will be handled under Florida's juvenile justice procedures.
The incident at Friendship Elementary adds to local concerns about school property damage and safety. School vandalism and juvenile crimes are issues that often surface in local and national debates about school funding, security measures and restorative responses for young offenders. Officials did not immediately outline whether the school would pursue civil remedies to recover the estimated $50,000 in damages.
No further details about the boys' motives were released by investigators. Volusia County deputies said the investigation remains active and asked anyone with additional information to contact the sheriff's office.