A Florida woman has been arrested and charged after allegedly making violent threats toward her daughter’s high school following an argument over a school lunch.
According to a court filing in Brevard County, 40-year-old Brandie Covington faces a charge of threatening to throw, project, place, or discharge a destructive device after reportedly threatening to “burn the school down” during a heated phone exchange with school staff.
Police responded to Rockledge High School, located about 50 miles outside Orlando, on Tuesday, Oct. 21, after a cafeteria employee reported receiving a threatening call.
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According to the arrest affidavit, Covington was allegedly upset because her daughter’s boyfriend had his school-provided lunch taken away due to insufficient funds in his account. The report states that Covington became “irate,” yelling and cursing as the cafeteria worker explained the school’s policy for students without money available.
The employee told police that Covington said she planned to visit the school district office and would then “be over there to blow that f—— school up,” before ending the call.
A school resource officer reported the incident, and police later arrested Covington at her home the same day.
When questioned, Covington admitted she was angry when she made the calls, saying she had been waiting for a response from school staff after a previous complaint but never received a call back. She, however, denied making any direct threats toward the school, according to the police report.
Under Florida law, threatening to discharge a destructive device is a second-degree felony, punishable by up to 15 years in prison and fines reaching $10,000.
Covington was released from the Brevard County Jail Complex on Thursday, Oct. 23, after posting a $75,000 bond, according to Florida Today. Her next court appearance is scheduled for Nov. 18.
