Images captured by firefighters showed the massive jungle gym going up in flames outside Maree Garnett Farring Elementary/Middle School on Saturday, and school police would ultimately reveal the alleged arsonists were a 12- and a 13-year-old.
WATCH: Juveniles arrested in arson at playground
“That is very shocking. That really… that really… yes, that was extremely shocking,” said BCPS Regional Manager Terri Lesesane. “I thought initially it was like some teenagers or someone not from the neighborhood finding an opportunity to just… it was very disheartening that it was our own children that destroyed it, and they now all have to suffer.”
In a strange twist of irony, someone torched the same school’s playground back in 2018, and it had to be rebuilt the following year.
This time, though, ongoing construction to expand the school has taken away nearby green space, and with no jungle gym, the students’ outdoor recess means packing them onto a single basketball court.
“I believe that will happen, but I will definitely do my due diligence with my presence at North Avenue to try to get the word around that my region needs some assistance in getting this back up and running for these babies because between healthy meals and activities, that’s two imperative parts to play in their success,” added Lesesane.
School police have stopped short of identifying the 12- and 13-year-olds allegedly responsible for this act, but we’re told by school officials that the two suspects actually attended this school.
The acts of two children are now impacting all of their own classmates.
“Twelve and thirteen, you know… You know what you’re doing is wrong. You know it was wrong when you were doing it, so you should definitely have consequences,” said Venue Bates, a parent whose son goes to the school. “I definitely think they need to do some kind of community service in the neighborhood. Like, you’re affecting the neighborhood, so you should have to give back to it.”
