LAUDERDALE LAKES, FLA. (WSVN) - Authorities have given the all clear at at three Lauderdale Lakes schools that were evacuated following a bomb threat.
Lauderdale Lakes Middle School, Boyd Anderson high School and Oriole Elementary School were evacuated for much of Thursday following the threat, Thursday morning.
Broward County Public School officials confirmed the three adjacent schools in the area of Northwest 39th Street and 31st Avenue.
Officials said a Crime Stoppers tip was received regarding a bomb threat made toward Boyd Anderson High and Lauderdale Lakes Middle. Oriole Elementary was placed on lockdown due to its proximity to the two schools.
“Somebody called and said it was a bomb threat,” said Keyunna Pendergrass, a student, “and they told everybody to evacuate the school. They had us sitting out there since 11.”
At 1:30 p.m., Lauderdale Lakes Middle was cleared and students were allowed back inside. However, the other schools remained evacuated for almost two hours after.
The older students were evacuated to one of the campus’ football fields while the elementary students were taken to a separate location off campus.
Some students complained about heat-related problems because they had to wait outside for several hours. Three students had to be taken to the hospital.
“First it was a code yellow, and then it was a code black,” said Heaven Latimer, a student. “They told us to go to the football field.”
Parents had to endure long lines before they could collect their children from school grounds.
Some parents picked their children up, but that was stopped midway through the evacuation process. Other students had to wait for dismissal to leave.
“My son, Christian, called me saying, ‘Mommy, the school has a bomb threat, so the school wants all the parents to come pick up the kids,'” said Emmanuella.
Parents and students who waited outside of all three schools said these incidents are scary.
“I’m ex-military, so every time this happens it terrifies me,” parent Ashley Esposito said. “I just wanted to make sure that my children were safe, and once they allowed me to retrieve them, I feel a little better. I’m ready to just get home away from this area just in case something does happen.”
During the panic, school officials told students to wait on the bleachers.
“They wasn’t tellin’ us nothin’,” Pendergrass said. “Like, we were just sittin’ out there — like, we’ve been out there for an hour and a half. People was hungry and thirsty. It was a long time.”
Broward Sheriff’s Office dogs inspected the buildings and did not find any explosives.
Students were then told to go home.
“Bookbags, who left their bookbags in the class, they can’t come back and get their bookbags and stuff until tomorrow,” said Beyonce Daley, a student.
Students explained how these incidents affect them and that they are only getting worse.
“Couldn’t be able to learn,” said Daley. “People trying to threaten us and stuff. How can we feel safe?”
The students that were transported to hospital complained of heat-related illnesses and are expected to be OK.
Broward Sheriff’s Office deputies said the evacuations were not related to a SWAT situation occurring nearby.
Authorities continue to investigate where the call originated.
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