The 16-year-old girl who had a plan that Sheriff Joe Arpaio declared "almost meets the profile of what happened in [Newtown], Connecticut" has been released from custody.
Maricopa County Superior Court spokesman Vincent Funari tells New Times that a judge ordered the girl to be released on an electronic-monitoring a program -- which both sides had agreed to, he says
See also:
-Joe Arpaio: Red Mountain High School Plot "Almost Meets the Profile of What Happened in Connecticut"
-MCSO: "Serious Murder/Suicide Plot" Uncovered at Mesa's Red Mountain High School
After a hearing on the matter, a judge ruled that the girl "isn't a threat," while releasing her on the electronic-monitoring program, according a report from the Associated Press.
Additionally, Funari says prosecutors withdrew a request to have the girl charged as an adult.
Back to the AP, "The Maricopa County Attorney's Office had requested that the teen be tried as an adult."
Arpaio called the press conference on December 20 to announce that detectives arrested the girl, who posted a threat online, reading in part, "I now literally have a plan of seriously hurting... killing... murdering people in my high school."
That school was Red Mountain High School in Mesa. Another part of her post said, "I WORK at the high school as a student teacher basically...which is why no one can find out about me somewhat accidentally planning to blow up the school. (and yes... it would be super easy...)."
Although there were three guns in the girl's home, they had trigger locks and were kept in a safe, and they belonged to her parents, so they weren't seized.
However, Arpaio said the girl's parents told detectives that their daughter had "a history of mental-health issues," and had recently been asking where the guns were kept.
It's impossible to tell how legitimate the threats were, but Arpaio continued to compare the girl's plans to the Connecticut elementary school shooting, saying it "almost meets the profile of what happened" there.
Pressed for an explanation, Arpaio said to "look at it" -- the plan was at a school, the number of guns involved was the same, the plot was premeditated, and they both had access to the school, Arpaio explained.
"The smoke was there, but thankfully, we prevented the fire," Arpaio said.
However, the girl apparently "isn't a threat," according to a judge, and she'll be on an electronic-monitoring program as her case is handled by a juvenile court.
