Sheriff: 8 people involved in vandalism at North Cedar High School

CEDAR COUNTY - Cedar County Sheriff Warren Wethington said he wants to see criminal charges filed against everyone involved in a school prank at North Cedar High School earlier this week.

Wethington said eight people were involved in the vandalism at the school. In a release sent Thursday afternoon, Wethington said video surveillance from the school showed three people wearing what appeared to be face masks enter from the front door just after 11 p.m. Sunday. Two were carrying five-gallon buckets.

Once inside, the three went to the school's west entrance and let in two other students, the sheriff said. Two others stayed outside and put toilet paper and caution tape in trees on the school grounds. The eighth person involved is a school employee who gave the students a key to the school.

The five students who entered the school spread manure and a 'homemade catfish chum bait” mix inside the school's cafeteria. He says the 'chum bait” was a mix of corn, beer and animal blood that was left to ferment in five gallon buckets for two years.

North Cedar had to cancel classes for the day to clean up the mess. Parents later complained that it smell lingered a day later.

On Wednesday, students told school staff about their involvement in the vandalism. A Cedar County detective was given the names of the seven students, all seniors, involved for investigation into possible criminal charges and all were interviewed by authorities.

Wethington said his department may only be able to charge the youths with criminal trespass because they had a key to the school. He said the male school employee not only gave the students the key, but he also knew they were going to commit some type of prank.

'I personally think he needs to be charged,” Wethington said. 'What started out as a little prank rapidly turned into something that will cost a lot of money.” He added that charges such as burglary and trespassing won't apply because the employee had prior knowledge of the incident.

The North Cedar School District held an emergency school board meeting Thursday in the superintendent's office at 7 a.m. The agenda listed the closed door meeting as an 'action item.”

North Cedar Superintendent Mike Cooper said he can only say that the meeting was related to the vandalism incident and 'the consequences of the behaviors.” Cooper did not say if the meeting dealt with the students, the employee who loaned the key or both.

Criminal charges have not yet been filed in the case. Sheriff Wethington said the Cedar County Attorney's Office would review the evidence gathered for possible criminal charges.