In Putnam County, Florida, a Facebook post from the Sheriff’s Office has gone viral, attracting over 47,000 comments. The post features the young boy’s booking photo and details of his arrest. This move has ignited a heated debate, with many criticizing the decision to publicize an image of a minor, while others praise the agency for its openness.

According to officials, the release of the mugshot aligns with a policy implemented by the agency in 2018.

“Since we adopted this policy, we haven’t seen any repeat offenses. It’s crucial for parents to know who their children are interacting with and what’s happening in their schools,” explained Allison Merritt of the Putnam County Sheriff’s Office. “We are committed to maintaining the safety of both students and staff across all Putnam County schools.”

“We have not had any repeat offenders since we have put this in place. our parents are aware of the children that their students are hanging out with. they’re aware of what is going on in their schools, and we are going to continue that to maintain the safety of our children and staff at all the Putnam County schools,” said Allison Merritt with the Putnam County sheriff’s office

According to PCSO, deputies arrested the 9-year-old after he allegedly brought a knife to Middleton-Burney Elementary and threatened two classmates during recess. 

The child was charged with aggravated assault with a deadly weapon without intent to kill, booked into the Putnam County Jail, and later released to a parent until his court date.

Under Florida Statute 985.04, juveniles charged with a felony are not protected by confidentiality. That means their name, photo, and arrest report can legally be released.

However, the law also allows families to request that a photo be taken down from a website — and if it’s not removed within 10 days, the agency could face civil penalties.

“Just because we can post a mug shot of a nine-year-old doesn’t mean we should, but interestingly, there’s also a Florida statute that allows this family to demand that the photo be taken down and they can send a letter of certified mail,” says attorney Shannon Schott, a legal expert in juvenile law. “There are companies out there that will do that, and if the sheriff’s office doesn’t take it down within 10 days, they can actually be sued civilly.” 

Schott also says posting a child’s mugshot online can have lasting consequences.

“The juvenile justice system really is intended to keep things behind closed doors so a family can privately heal and move forward and help their child move forward. it’s really just a conflict between the way the sheriff thinks that things should be done and how the system actually works.”

Schott says even though the law allows it, sharing a 9-year-old’s photo publicly can impact the child’s mental health, future schooling, and chances at rehabilitation.

PCSO says the goal of posting mugshots, even of minors charged with felonies, is to inform parents and prevent repeat offenses.

The agency also says it has not had a single repeat juvenile offender since the policy began in 2018.

For now, the department says the post will remain online.