Local officials wrapped up a week following the suicide of a former Evansville Vanderburgh School Corporation student with charges and a cautionary tale about the combination of speculation and social media. EVSC held a news conference with the Evansville Police, the Suicide Prevention Coalition and Mayor Lloyd Winnecke.
A juvenile is facing a felony charge of obstructing justice and other misdemeanor charges for allegedly starting the social media storm that followed a suicide earlier this week and forced the closing of Central High School on Friday.
"We hope that the information shown today will put to rest the rumor mill that has run ramped in the last 24 hours," says Evansville Police Department Sergeant Jason Cullum. "To reassure people the claims that they were seeing online were manufactured and that, that person has been charged."
EVSC Superintendent Dr. David Smith said it has been a difficult week for them, but stands behind the decisions they made.
"I understand that as a community we want, once again, simple answers, for complex problems and complex situations. But sometime patience is a virtue that is lacking and had we had more patience, perhaps we would not have had what occurred today," says Smith.
EVSC holding press conference regarding events this past week at Central High School. https://t.co/X7W5oOJ83Q
— Samantha Horton (@SamHorton5) January 6, 2017
In addition to Central High School being closed today, the freshman, JV and varsity boys basketball games were canceled. Smith said Central will be open on Monday.
Evansville Mayor Lloyd Winnecke pledged any support that is needed from the city.
