AZ - Four Surprise elementary fifth-graders arrested for plotting to kill classmate, 15 May 2025

[imstilla.grandma]

Four fifth-grade students were detained in Surprise after they plotted to kill one of their classmates by luring him to an outside bathroom at their school, where one would stab him in the stomach while the others acted as lookouts, police said.

A student at Legacy Traditional School West Surprise, a public charter for kindergarten through eighth grade, reported to school administrators that she overheard a group of students planning to kill one of their classmates on Oct. 1, 2024, according to a Surprise police report obtained by The Arizona Republic.

https://www.azcentral.com/story/news/local/surprise/2025/05/16/surprise-fifth-graders-planned-classmate-killing/83610206007/

A group of students at Legacy Traditional School’s West Surprise campus are facing charges after police say they threatened another child at the school.

“This investigation is the result of brave students reporting dangerous activity to their school staff, who quickly involved their assigned School Resource Officer to ensure the safety of the student and school,” said Surprise Police Chief Benny Piña.

Police say that four fifth-graders were arrested on Thursday on disorderly conduct and threatening charges for planning to “carry out an act of violence” toward another fifth-grade student

4 kids arrested for allegedly threatening student at elementary school in Surprise

Police says the students admitted to threats and were released to their parents.

www.azfamily.com

 

[imstilla.grandma]

“Just end him” was the goal, according to the police report, which said the motive may be about a recent break-up and cheating allegations.

Travis Webb, a Licensed Clinical Therapist, said a few factors could give children trouble realizing how serious their actions can be.

“Their brains are underdeveloped at 10, 11 years old. The female brain isn’t even quite half developed the part of the brain that regulates emotion. That kind of talks sense into this. It’s early 20s, before the female brain is finished developing,” said Webb

“2025 is different than 1995. It’s different than 1975,” said Webb. “They don’t really come up with this on their own. They don’t think violently. They certainly don’t think about gloves and fingerprints and suicide notes.”

He said parents should not give kids unrestricted access to the internet and assume they’ll be okay.

“You have to be a little more aware and a little more vigilant in talking to your kids about what they’re seeing on the Internet and really helping them,” said Webb.

Surprise police report reveals disturbing details in murder plot involving 5th graders

A new police report details how a group of elementary school-aged girls devised a murder plot against a young boy at a Surprise, Arizona charter school.

www.azfamily.com

 

[imstilla.grandma]

 

[imstilla.grandma]

Each girl was allegedly given a role as they planned to lure the boy to an outdoor bathroom and stab him in the stomach, according to the police report.

One was tasked with bringing a knife, while another would forge a suicide note to make it appear as though the boy had taken his own life.

Another girl would serve as a lookout while the fourth would carry out the stabbing. The would-be murderer was also instructed to wear gloves to avoid leaving fingerprints on the knife.

The girls set the date to enact the plan on Oct. 1, 2024, but some students had overheard the details of the murder plot and informed school officials before it happened.

Three of the girls showed remorse when confronted by police and school administrators, but officials noted that the fourth girl would start smiling and laughing when coming up with excuses over the murder plot.

The twisted plot is reminiscent of the 2014 “Slender Man” stabbing, in which Wisconsin 12-year-old girls Morgan Geyser and Anissa Weier lured their friend, Payton Leutner, to a park after a sleepover

Four 5th-grade girls devised sinister plot to kill Arizona boy and fake his suicide, cops say: ‘Just end him’

The young suspects had agreed to “just end him” in the school yard over cheating allegations following a break-up.

nypost.com

 

[imstilla.grandma]

 

[LadyL]

these are 10/11 year olds?
I'm in shock
why is there any kind of relationship that would end in a break up?
and why is there an outdoor bathroom at an elementary school? never heard of that

 

[imstilla.grandma]

these are 10/11 year olds?
I'm in shock
why is there any kind of relationship that would end in a break up?
and why is there an outdoor bathroom at an elementary school? never heard of that

We had one in my third grade year at elementary. Barracks were being used at the time. They were still building onto the school that year.

 

[tlcya]

what the

what?

 

[LadyL]

We had one in my third grade year at elementary. Barracks were being used at the time. They were still building onto the school that year.

oh yes I didn't think abut if it was under construction

 

[mickey2942]

This actually doesn't even surprise me.

 

[imstilla.grandma]

 

[Quill]

Sorry, but I believe that kids this age are capable of knowing right from wrong, brain development aside. They understood the consequences here. JMO.

 

[Lorrie48]

Sorry, but I believe that kids this age are capable of knowing right from wrong, brain development aside. They understood the consequences here. JMO.

Of course they did, otherwise they wouldn't have tried to hide fingerprints or create a suicide note. When I was in fifth grade, I didn't know much about murder or suicide. I wish kids could stay innocent longer.

 

[airportwoman]

I have a feeling that some, if not all, of these kids have been exposed to things kids this age shouldn't even know about.

 

[imstilla.grandma]

'He's like, well, you know, "They wanted to kill me, but I'm not dead." Like, literally, that's how he acts now.'

The victim's mother, Brittany Mudd, and his stepfather, Nick Bernardi, told KTVK-TV that they wanted to dispel some of the rumors that were floating around online about the incident.

The couple said their son was only 10 years old when the plot was discovered among children he had considered his best friends at the West Surprise campus of Legacy Traditional Schools in October. He is also autistic, which had not been previously reported

“It was literally his friends at school tried to murder him,” Bernardi said.

While the police report said the murder was planned because of a breakup involving the boy, the couple denies that explanation for the motivation.

"It wasn't a love triangle. It was just a bunch of kids that would hang out in the playground," Bernardi said.

"But it doesn't really matter why. There's literally no reason or anything that a little kid could do for that to be what you choose to do," Mudd added.

They said they were shocked at the amount of planning that was undertaken in the plot. Police said one of the children was told to act as a lookout, another would forge a suicide note, a third would commit the stabbing, and a fourth would provide the knife

Parents of 11-year-old targeted in murder plot by 5th-graders break their silence: 'There was a mastermind' | Blaze Media

The parents dispelled some of the rumors floating around about the incident.

www.theblaze.com

 

[airportwoman]

Or more likely, the kids pretended to be his friends so they could earn his trust, and then betray it. Girls are especially notorious for things like this; ask me how I know that.

It's a long way from "We already have enough kids at my birthday party", to this.

 

[AngTxGal]

Or more likely, the kids pretended to be his friends so they could earn his trust, and then betray it. Girls are especially notorious for things like this; ask me how I know that.

It's a long way from "We already have enough kids at my birthday party", to this.

Yes, I’m wondering if there is an older ring-leader with power over these children?
Delusions?

These are kids, so tough to imagine such evil in children this young.
Could it be that the worldwide web has stolen the innocence of such children to this degree?
Have there always been kids this young capable of such things?

Perplexed and wanting to stay in denial
IMO

 

[imstilla.grandma]

New details on 5th grade murder plot

www.localnewslive.com