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18-year-old accused of making threats to charter school bonds out of jail


WSVN, SOCIAL MEDIA, CNN

By Brandon Beyer, Kevin Boulandier

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    FORT LAUDERDALE, Florida (WSVN) — An 18-year-old woman accused of making threats to her school walked out of jail after spending two days in jail.

7News cameras were outside the Broward County Jail on Thursday as Rachell Diane Varela Gomez walked out with her head covered with a hoodie and hugging a man who was with her.

“Rachel, anything to say? Anything to say about what you are accused of?” said 7News reporter Brandon Beyer.

Gomez did not answer questions as she walked down the steps.

According to the arrest report, she made threats online against Coral Springs Charter School, which she attends.

The Snapchat message, which she sent while on campus, said, “I’m dead (expletive) ’bout to shoot up this dumb (ahh) school,” according to police.

She was swiftly arrested before school dismissal.

Gomez appeared before a judge Wednesday morning. Prosecutors said there was no justification for her post.

“Despite her explanation — having a bad day, failing a test — none of it can possibly justify or even explain making threats on social media to shoot up a school,” said a prosecutor.

But her lawyer said there was no real meaning behind the violent wording.

“This is basically a person saying foolish things,” said the defense attorney.

Her classmates said she had to be more careful about what she posts.

“With all the cases we’ve seen, I don’t know how you just do that and throw your life away. You’re not even out of high school yet,” said a student.

Gomez was months away from graduating high school and had plans to be a nurse. She declined to comment when asked on her future plans.

She has been ordered to stay away from the school, wear a GPS monitor and not have access to the internet until further notice.

Meantime, on Wednesday night, Elizabeth Smith bonded out of jail, hours after she turned herself in for accusations that she encouraged her son to delete evidence related to the investigation against him.

Her son and another friend are accused of threatening violence at Somerset Academy in Pembroke Pines.

“Threats of violence to shoot and kill students, staff, community members, and responding police officers,” said Pembroke Pines Police Capt. Adam Feiner.

Smith also declined to make any comment to 7News as she walked out of jail with a hoodie over her head.

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