Teen Charged With False Public Alarm at Mendham High School

A 15-year-old Mendham High School student has been charged with false public alarm after allegedly scaring the community with a threat, Morris County Prosecutor Fredric Knapp said Tuesday.

The teen’s gender, name, or town of residence is not being disclosed because of his or her age.

The written threat was found Friday afternoon in Mendham High School, and a joint statement released by Mendham Police, the Morris County Prosecutor’s Office, and Morris County Sheriff’s Office was released at 8 p.m. Sunday night alerting the community that enhanced security measures would be taken at the school.

Mendham High School, located in Mendham Borough, serves students in grades nine through 12 from Chester Borough, Chester Township, Mendham Borough, and Mendham Township.

The charge is of the third degree. The teen will remain in a juvenile detention center rather than be released to his family because he is exhibiting “out of control behavior,” according to dailyrecord.com, and that the written threat referenced a shooting.

“I was very impressed by the effort and diligence from the prosecutor’s and sheriff’s office in the matter,” Superintendent Mackey Pendergrast told Patch Tuesday. “Our goal every day is to make our schools a perfectly safe learning environment.”

Pendergrast oversees Mendham and West Morris Central High School in the regional district.

While the juvenile has been charged, Mendham will still undergo enhanced security measures, including extended hours for the school’s resource officer, also a Mendham Borough police officer. The school’s security monitor will also have extended hours.

The teen’s next court date is scheduled for Dec. 16, dailyrecord.com reported.