A Massachusetts woman pled guilty Thursday to calling in a hoax bomb threat against Boston Children's Hospital last year.
The U.S. Attorney's Office said 37-year-old Catherine Leavy of Westfield, Massachusetts, pled guilty to one count of making a false bomb threat and one count of intentionally conveying false or misleading information. The charges stem from a threat phoned on Aug. 30, 2022, that sent a wave of first responders to the hospital and forced the building into lockdown.
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After law enforcement determined there were no explosive devices on site they began the work of tracking down he person responsible. Leavy was identified when the phone number used to make the threat came back in her name.
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Investigators said Leavy admitted to making the threatening call but said she never planned to actually bomb the building. She also expressed disapproval of the hospital.
It was one of several threats the hospital received over the care it offers transgender youth. The facility is the home of the Gender Multispecialty Service (GeMS) program, which focuses on providing care to gender-diverse and transgender adolescents. Federal investigators said there were multiple threats made in 2022, with the hospital saying it dealt with a large number of hostile phone calls and emails, with some threatening violence against doctors and staff.
Leavy faces up to 10 years in prison and a fine of up to $250,000 for making a false threat. The charge of conveying false or misleading information provides a sentence of up to five years and a fine of up to $250,000. She is scheduled for sentencing on March 19, 2024.
