The 10-year-old Florida boy who was arrested by the Lee County sheriff’s office after an alleged school shooting threat pleaded not guilty in court on Monday.
Daniel Marquez — a grade-schooler who was escorted from a police station in handcuffs — was accompanied by his dad when he entered his plea in Lee County juvenile court. Daniel’s father burst into tears as he struggled to grasp his 10-year-old son’s shocking arrest in May.
Marquez made national headlines as a pint-sized suspect after his apprehension in May, which followed the massacre at Robb Elementary School in Uvalde, Texas.
Officials said the boy allegedly texted a friend saying he had “scammed” someone out of a large sum of money and posted a stock image of guns alongside the claim. He allegedly shared a Google image of four AR-style rifles he said he purchased and told his buddy to “get ready for water day” — referring to a school-sponsored event wherein students take part in water activities, deputies said.
His father and lawyers criticized Lee County Sheriff Lee Marceno for publicizing the bust and claimed the messages were misinterpreted.
The dad, Dereck Marquez, asserts that the “water day” reference was not connected to the preceding messages.
The boy’s advocate, Letitia Kim of the Foundation Against Intolerance & Racism, reiterated that position at Monday’s appearance.
