LAKE WORTH, Fla. (CBS12) — A Lake Worth father is speaking out after he says his 9-year-old son was questioned by school staff and an officer at Panther Run Elementary over a threatening note, without a parent present.
Yunior Topico says his son, Nataniel, was pulled from class and questioned about the note, which was found on campus. He says his son repeatedly denied writing it, but eventually confessed out of fear.
“After he denied multiple times to the counselor, the assistant principal, and the principal that he did not write the note, he felt threatened. He felt a lot of pressure,” Topico said. “The principal kept telling him, ‘Be honest, be honest.’”
Topico says he was out of the country celebrating his anniversary with his wife when the incident happened. His 26-year-older daughter, who was caring for Nataniel, received a call from the school.
“My daughter called me right away, crying. She was a mess,” Topico said. Topico called the officer who told him his son confessed and that the handwriting matched.
Topico said the school resource officer compared the handwriting himself, something the father believes was handled incorrectly.
“The officer took the place of a forensic document examiner by determining whether my son’s handwriting matched it or not,” he said.
Later, another student came forward and admitted to writing the note as part of an online game. In a letter to families, the principal said the situation was “fully resolved” and the note was never intended as a threat.
Still, Topico says he’s upset that his son asked for his parents to be called and that request was denied.
“It doesn’t mention anywhere that if a child requests his parents be notified, that request will not be satisfied,” Topico said.
According to the Palm Beach County School District’s Threat Assessment and Management Policy, administrators can interview a student without first contacting parents if there’s reasonable suspicion the student violated the code of conduct. The policy does not specify how to handle a child’s request for a parent to be present.
The Palm Beach County School District told CBS12 News it does not comment on active investigations but confirmed an internal review is underway.
