ODEM, Texas — An online threat made towards Odem High School on Thursday is just the latest of several threats reported against a Coastal Bend school in just two weeks.
San Patricio County Sheriff Oscar Rivera said the 17-year-old arrested for making the threat, later revealed to police that the main cause for his threat was bullying that he endured in school.
"We made one call with him where someone threw a bottle through his window at home but that's the only call," Rivera said. "And apparently there is a lot more that he didn't disclose before."
Kristi Phillips is a licensed therapist that specializes in marriage and family. She said kids at school are dealing with several things that can contribute to them acting out or seeking attention.
"Kids at schools are dealing with things like bullying, they're trying to address how to navigate through this post-COVID world after all the changes they went through with that," Phillips said. "They're dealing with stressors at home; all of those kinds of issues and it really compounds the stressors the kids are dealing with. "
Phillips said it's important to seek help sooner than later.
"Once things built, it's gets much harder to address the needs that need to be addressed and you know there's more problems at a later time than if someone would have sought help immediately," Phillips said.
Rivera urges parents if that they see something wrong at home to seek help before it's too late.
"It starts at home," he said. "If you see something at home you need to address it, and if you can't take care of your child for whatever reason, give us a call. Maybe we can intervene and help some way."