Two Florida boys are facing serious charges after “their moms turned them in” for allegedly causing more than $50,000 worth of damage to their school library.

On September 13, the Volusia Sheriff’s Office reported that two boys, aged just 12 and 13, broke into Friendship Elementary School in Deltona, Florida. Deputies say the pair first entered the campus during the day before sneaking back later that night.

Once inside, the pre-teens allegedly went on a destructive rampage – hurling books across the library floor, toppling furniture, and scrawling graffiti on doors. According to investigators, the situation escalated when the pair reportedly returned to admire their handiwork, causing even more damage and setting off the fire alarm in the process. Deputies responding to the alarm arrived to find the library’s media center completely ransacked and in ruins.

“Overnight, deputies responded to a fire alarm at Friendship Elementary School in Deltona. Once on scene, they found a glass door had been shattered and the media center had been vandalized,” police shared on social media, alongside body cam footage from one of the officers at the scene.

Images of wrecked property

Photos released by the Volusia Sheriff’s Office revealed the full extent of the destruction, with books scattered across the floor, furniture smashed, and property wrecked.

Investigators also shared surveillance footage showing two suspects entering the library. In the video, one boy can be seen wearing a Monster Energy cap, while both had their faces covered in an attempt to conceal their identities.

‘Moms turned them in’

After the images were posted online, tips quickly poured in – but it was the boys’ own mothers who provided the crucial leads, recognizing their children and making the difficult decision to alert authorities.

“Their moms turned them in,” Volusia Sheriff’s Office announced in a Sept. 15 Facebook post that included mugshots of 12-year-old Felix Cohen Romero and 13-year-old Bentley Ryan Wehrly.

“After the video posted, we received lots of emails identifying them (thank you all!), as well as contacts from each of the defendants’ mothers. The boys confessed to the incident, which caused at least $50,000 in damage to the media center. They broke into the school during the daytime hours, then returned later in the evening to look at the damage and cause more.”

Criminal charges

Each boy now faces a slate of criminal charges, including two counts of burglary, two counts of trespassing on school grounds, criminal mischief and theft.

Authorities have not yet confirmed how the case will proceed through the juvenile justice system, but the seriousness of the damage means both could be facing significant legal consequences.

Moms praised

The shocking case has sparked widespread reaction online, particularly because the boys’ own mothers were the ones who held them accountable. Many praised the women for making what must have been an incredibly difficult choice.

“Great job moms!!! I’m sure that was incredibly hard, but it was the right thing to do. Helping them learn about consequences is the hardest part of being a parent,” one person wrote in the comment section of the Facebook post.

A second wrote, “Thank you moms for seeing your child needs to see the world doesn’t revolve around them and there [are] consequences to their actions! I know it was probably hard…”

Another added: “So young to be having a record,” another said. “Good job on the moms for turning them in though!”

Clean-up duty

Others went further, suggesting the pre-teens should be required to clean up the damage themselves as part of their punishment.

“Assign them the library repair every day to clean up their mess from putting books back on the shelves to cleaning every nook and corner,” suggested one netizen.

“They should have to go clean it up during school hours so everyone can see,” another suggested.