PEMBROKE PINES, Fla. – A 7th-grader spent 14 days in juvenile detention for a crime she didn’t commit. On Nov. 19 she was placed in handcuffs outside of her home after she was accused of posting a bomb threat against her school on Instagram.
“My mom’s friend lives upstairs and she looked at me and she was like, ‘What happened?’ I wanted to hide because it was so embarrassing,” said 13-year-old Nia Whims.
She said she kept telling authorities that she wasn’t responsible for the threat at Renaissance Charter School, but they wouldn’t listen.
Months passed and her mother, Lezlie Davis, insisted that there be a thorough investigation.
“No mom wants to see their child being taken away from them,” Davis said.
Davis said that someone else created multiple fake emails using Nia’s name to create the Instagram account.
At a court hearing on Jan. 28 charges were dropped. You can hear it straight from the judge.
“Your case is being dropped today,” the judge says. “Do you have any questions for me? Good luck. I’m really sorry you went through this.”
Nia can be heard responding: “It’s OK.”
But this family says it is not OK and that the damage was done and this shouldn’t happen to anyone else.
Before you place a child in cuffs, Davis said there should be a thorough investigation, and a life shouldn’t be scarred.
Nia said, “It was heartbreaking that everybody thought it was me.”
Nia is grateful this is behind her and she can hug her mom and try and move forward.
Local 10 News reached out to Pembroke Pines police. They said that new information came forward that exonerated the suspect. But Davis said it is too late. Her daughter was handcuffed, in jail and traumatized.