A Florida sheriff’s office is facing intense backlash after posting a now-viral mugshot of a nine-year-old Black boy who was charged with a felony after being accused of taking a knife to school and brandishing it to his classmates.
The Facebook post on the Putnam County Sheriff’s Office page has garnered tens of thousands of reactions and comments, some of which expressed anger and disappointment at the law enforcement agency’s decision to criminalize a young child publicly.
The sheriff’s office released the boy’s full name and age while detailing the circumstances surrounding his arrest.
Authorities say the child was arrested on Oct. 9 and charged with aggravated assault with a deadly weapon without intent to kill after he allegedly threatened two classmates with a knife.
The child allegedly got into a fight during recess with another student and reportedly pulled a pocketknife from his backpack and threatened to stab his classmate. Deputies say another student reported that the boy approached him with the knife as well.
After the child was booked into jail, he was released to a parent until his next court date.
People flooded the Putnam County Sheriff’s Office Facebook page with comments.
Many condemned their decision to release a minor’s mugshot and criminal case online. Some believe the child might have gone to such extreme lengths due to bullying. Others defended the sheriff’s office’s transparency and said blame should be shifted to the child’s parents or home environment, alleging “learned behavior.”
“I don’t agree with this at all. While I absolutely do not support his behavior or bringing a weapon to school, this is still a 9-year-old child. Arresting him, taking a mugshot, and publicly posting it like this can cause lasting psychological harm,” one Facebook user wrote. “At this age, the focus should be on intervention, counseling, and protection, not criminalizing him in a way that could follow him for life. There should be statutes in place to protect children this young, this feels more like trauma and child abuse than justice.”
“One , this is a minor – why is his picture being shown and two, makes me wonder if he’s being bullied at school to the point he feels the need for a knife,” another person commented.
“A 9-year-old doesn’t just do this; this is learned behavior,” one comment read. “Unbelievable.”
Though the sheriff’s office faced the ire of some people for posting the child’s mugshot online, deputies noted that the decision is in direct compliance with a policy they implemented in 2018 that they say has helped deter repeat offenders.
“We have not had any repeat offenders since we have put this in place. Our parents are aware of the children that their students are hanging out with. They’re aware of what is going on in their schools, and we are going to continue that to maintain the safety of our children and staff at all the Putnam County schools,” Allison Merritt with the Putnam County Sheriff’s Office told WTSP.
Additionally, under Florida Statute 985.04, juveniles charged with a felony are not protected by confidentiality. That means their name, photo, and arrest report can legally be released.
However, the law dictates that families can request that a photo be taken down from a website. If the arresting agency doesn’t remove the picture within 10 days, it could face civil penalties.
Legal experts say that sharing the boy’s photo online could have lasting ramifications that impact his mental health, future schooling, and chances at rehabilitation.
The sheriff’s office said the mugshot will remain online for now.
The Facebook post also underscores patterns and practices that adultify and criminalize Black children, which perpetuates racial bias.
Studies show that Black students are punished at disproportionate rates in schools with suspensions and expulsions, which sharply increases the possibility they will be referred to the juvenile justice system. This evidence highlights the policies and practices that strengthen the school-to-prison pipeline.
In the 2015-2016 school year, Black students accounted for roughly 15 percent of the student population, yet made up 31 percent of all students arrested or referred to law enforcement in schools. The disparity is even steeper for Black girls, who were four times more likely than white girls to be arrested in school, three times more likely to be referred to law enforcement, and twice as likely to be physically restrained.
Research also indicates that Black students don’t misbehave at higher rates than their white peers, yet are often subjected to stronger forms of discipline for the same offenses.
