CHARLES COUNTY, Md. — A Maryland fourth grader involved in an incident that caused a 7-year-old to be hanged in a school bathroom won't face charges due to his age.
The incident happened at C. Barnhart Elementary School on Nov. 15. News of what happened to the 7-year-old boy went viral after his mother took to social media to share his story.
"My child who is a second grader was hung in the boys' bathroom by a fourth grader," the mother's social media post read. "I received the most traumatizing phone call from the school stating that my child was being rushed to children's hospital in NW ... I'm feeling anger and seeing red, but my son is here by the grace of GOD, and I will forever be thankful!"
According to the Charles County Sheriff's Office, the incident was not a hate crime, noting both students shared the same demographic background.
"The is no evidence suggesting any racial, biased, or other discriminatory motivations," the sheriff's office said in a press release. "While the events in the bathroom remain unclear, the information available at this time does not suggest criminal intent was involved."
Regardless, the fourth grader can not be charged with a crime due to his age. Maryland law says that a child under the age of 13 may not be charged with a crime.
When the school district learned of the incident, administrators said the boy was hanged after his jacket was caught on a hook while horseplaying with another student. The 7-year-old's mother said that doesn't make any sense.
"If you’re horseplaying, how do you get caught on a hook," she told WUSA9. "We need answers, I want answers, and we won’t stop till we get answers.”