1 arrested after multiple threats made to Williamson County daycares
CARTERVILLE, Ill. (KBSI) – An employee of a daycare was arrested after sheriff’s deputies say she texted alarming messages to a business phone of the daycare.
Jerica L. Ogden faces a charge of making a terrorist threat, (Class X felony).
The Williamson County Sheriff’s Office received a report Wednesday, September 20 around 1:10 p.m. that Little Treasures Child Development Center had received inappropriate and alarming text messages to a business phone.
The messages were not specific to any threat and the organization has numerous business locations spanning multiple counties, according to the sheriff’s office.
On September 21 at 7:23 a.m., deputies with the sheriff’s office responded to the Little Treasures Child Development Center on Old Route 13 in Carterville to the report of threatening text messages that were discovered to have been sent to the businesses phones at the organization’s Old Route 13 and Marion locations throughout the previous evening.
While deputies were on scene, another message was received at both locations stating “Today watch urselfs”.
Williamson County sheriff’s deputies remained on scene. Investigators began the process of trying to locate the source of the messages.
Two additional text messages which included a bomb threat were received at 9:43 a.m.
Both facilities were evacuated. Employees and children were relocated to a safe location.
Fire and EMS were staged nearby while explosive detection K9s were deployed.
K9 searches were did not find explosives at both locations. The facilities were released to staff. After the facilities were released to staff, six additional text messages were received.
Detectives developed information which led them to an employee of the Little Treasures location in Marion.
Jerica L. Ogden was interviewed by investigators and confessed to sending the messages to the Little Treasures facilities, according to investigators at the sheriff’s office.
Ogden was arrested and taken to the Williamson County Jail.
“Nothing motivates law enforcement into action faster than threats which involve our children,” said Williamson County Sheriff Jeff Diederich. “The quick action of Little Treasures Child Development Center staff and the collaboration between Investigators from the Marion Police Department and the Williamson County Sheriff’s Office delivered a suspect and timely closure to this matter. The parents of children at both of these facilities should have confidence in their handling of this matter and that no further threat exists.”
The Williamson County Sheriff’s Office would like to thank
The Marion Police Department, West Frankfort Police Department, Perry County Sheriff’s Office, Illinois Secretary of State Police, Illinois State Police, ATF, FBI and Williamson County State’s Attorney Ted Hampson assisted the Williamson County Sheriff’s Office.
