Berwick Investigators have identified multiple TikTok accounts connected to the “Cat in the Hat” posts and were able to identify individuals involved. Because of the nature of the content posted publicly and the serious concern it created among parents, students, schools, and residents throughout the Tri-City area, investigators began conducting interviews.
As a result of the investigation, the Berwick Police Department arrested 4 juveniles believed to be involved.
- 𝙁𝙚𝙢𝙖𝙡𝙚 𝙟𝙪𝙫𝙚𝙣𝙞𝙡𝙚 15 𝙮𝙚𝙖𝙧𝙨 𝙤𝙛 𝙖𝙜𝙚 arrested on the following charge: 𝙏𝙀𝙍𝙍𝙊𝙍𝙄𝙕𝙄𝙉𝙂 / 𝙈𝙀𝙉𝘼𝘾𝙄𝙉𝙂
- 𝙁𝙚𝙢𝙖𝙡𝙚 𝙟𝙪𝙫𝙚𝙣𝙞𝙡𝙚 13 𝙮𝙚𝙖𝙧𝙨 𝙤𝙛 𝙖𝙜𝙚 arrested on following charge: 𝙏𝙀𝙍𝙍𝙊𝙍𝙄𝙕𝙄𝙉𝙂 / 𝙈𝙀𝙉𝘼𝘾𝙄𝙉𝙂
- 𝙁𝙚𝙢𝙖𝙡𝙚 𝙟𝙪𝙫𝙚𝙣𝙞𝙡𝙚 14 𝙮𝙚𝙖𝙧𝙨 𝙤𝙛 𝙖𝙜𝙚 arrested on following charge: 𝘾𝙔𝘽𝙀𝙍𝘽𝙐𝙇𝙇𝙔𝙄𝙉𝙂
- 𝙁𝙚𝙢𝙖𝙡𝙚 𝙟𝙪𝙫𝙚𝙣𝙞𝙡𝙚 14 𝙮𝙚𝙖𝙧𝙨 𝙤𝙛 𝙖𝙜𝙚 arrested for following charge: 𝙏𝙀𝙍𝙍𝙊𝙍𝙄𝙕𝙄𝙉𝙂 / 𝙈𝙀𝙉𝘼𝘾𝙄𝙉𝙂
Chief J.P. Henry issued the following statement:
“These types of threats and online trends CANNOT and WILL NOT be tolerated. When something is posted online that causes parents to fear sending their children to school, we are going to take it seriously. Every single time.
“What a juvenile may believe is a joke can create fear throughout an entire community, disrupt our schools, and require a significant law-enforcement response. Once you hit 𝙋𝙊𝙎𝙏, you do not get to decide how seriously law enforcement takes it.
“I want our parents, students, teachers, and school administrators to understand this clearly: threats involving our schools or our children will NEVER be treated as a joke. We will investigate them. We will identify those responsible. And when probable cause exists, arrests will be made.
“Parents, please talk to your children. Know what they are doing online, what accounts they are using, and who they are communicating with. Young people also need to understand that hiding behind a screen or calling something a ‘trend’ does not protect them from the consequences of their actions. Every choice you make has a consequence. Think before you post.”
