A Richmond, Mich., woman was arraigned March 16, 2018, at Livingston County’s 53rd District Court on charges stemming from using social media to threaten a Hartland-area family through Facebook Messenger and text messages to a family member’s phone. The threats included that of “shooting up” Village Elementary School, where members of the family attend, and burning down the family’s house.
According to a release from the Livingston County Sheriff’s Office, its Detective Bureau, during investigation of the threats, identified Karen Lockwood of Richmond, Mich., as the person making them. Detectives learned that Lockwood had established numerous fictitious social media and email accounts, as well as internet-based phone numbers to communicate the threats and conceal her identity. The Livingston County Sheriff’s Office determined that although the threats were specific in nature, the suspect had no means to carry them out.
Lockwood was taken into custody at the arraignment, and is lodged at the Livingston County Jail on charges of making false terroristic threats, use of computer to commit a felony, malicious use of a telephone, and unlawful posting of messages through electronic medium. Her bond is set at $100,000.
