DANIA BEACH, Fla. – A 17-year-old boy accused of breaking into a Dania Beach home over summer break while a child was home alone appeared Thursday in court, where he was ordered to remain in juvenile detention for at least 21 days.
Local 10 News cameras were inside the courtroom for Simon Lee Hand's hearing, at which it was discovered that he is a student at South Broward High School, where he plays football and basketball and is enrolled in honors classes.
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Hand appeared to be on track to begin college next year, but instead he is facing multiple charges in connection with the home invasion and other incidents in which he is accused of being involved over summer break.
Broward sheriff's deputies said the home invasion was reported just after 11 a.m. July 26. A 12-year-old boy was home alone while his parents were at work.
According to an incident report, the boy was watching TV when he heard a knock at the front door of his home in the area of Southeast Fourth Avenue and Fourth Street.
The boy did not open the door because of his parents' rules, but he heard someone enter the home soon afterward.
Deputies said the boy saw Hand inside his sister's room, and the teen told him to "go stay in the bathroom."
The boy called 911 while he was in the bathroom and stayed on the phone with a dispatcher until help arrived.
Deputies said Hand was gone by the time they arrived.
Hand was arrested Wednesday and also faces charges in connection with crimes that were reported last month.
Deputies said he broke into multiple vehicles Aug. 23 in the area of 348 S. Federal Hwy, in Dania Beach and robbed a Big Apple Deli and Grocery store at 265 S. Federal Hwy, in Dania Beach.
Hand faces two counts of burglary, as well as charges of armed robbery, grand theft of a firearm and armed robbery with a firearm.