FAYETTE COUNTY, Ohio — Authorities have charged a Washington Court House woman with making false alarms after she reported a nonexistent bomb threat to the Miami Trace School District on Monday morning. This incident follows a similar case in Pike County last week.
Shortly after 9:30 a.m. on August 26, 2024, the Fayette County Sheriff’s Office received a call from the Miami Trace School District. A female caller inquired whether the district was aware of a potential bomb threat posted on social media. Deputies, along with school officials, quickly determined that the threat was not credible, and all buildings on the campus were found to be secure.
Further investigation revealed that the social media post, which the caller claimed had been removed from a different platform, did not actually exist. The caller, 26-year-old Courtney M. Hines-Young of Washington Court House, has been charged with Making False Alarms. Hines-Young will face arraignment in the Washington Court House Municipal Court.
This incident follows a similar situation in Pike County. On August 21, 2024, Pike County Sheriff Tracy D. Evans reported that the Pike County Sheriff’s Office was alerted by the Ohio Highway Patrol Internet Watchdog Group about a Snapchat post threatening violence at a local school. The post, made by a juvenile, was intercepted by the Watchdog Group, which provided the sheriff’s office with critical information.
In response, the Pike County Sheriff’s Office notified Waverly City Schools, and the Waverly Police Department and Pike County Sheriff’s Office collaborated to enhance school security. The school was placed on lockdown while the threat was investigated. Authorities found the threat to be non-credible, and the juvenile was released to their mother. The case will be reviewed by Pike County Prosecutor Mike Davis for potential juvenile delinquent charges.
Both incidents highlight ongoing concerns about social media threats to school safety and the importance of thorough investigations to ensure the security of educational environments.