Two Florida middle schoolers face serious juvenile charges after deputies say their mothers identified them as the vandals who caused over $50,000 in damage to a school library.

The Volusia Sheriff’s Office said the 12- and 13-year-olds entered Friendship Elementary in Deltona on September 13 and later returned at night. Investigators allege they “ransacked the media center, tossing books, overturning furniture, and scrawling graffiti.” Deputies responding to a fire alarm found shattered glass and a destroyed library.

Surveillance images showed two masked youths, one wearing a Monster Energy cap, which helped identify him. Tips followed, but the key calls came from the boys’ mothers, who recognized their children. Officials said both later confessed to returning “to look at the damage and cause more.”

The suspects, Felix Cohen Romero, 12, and Bentley Ryan Wehrly, 13, face charges including burglary, trespassing, criminal mischief, and theft. Damages are estimated at $50,000 or more.

Online reaction has been divided. Many praised the mothers for showing accountability, while others worried a juvenile record could harm the boys’ futures. Some suggested restorative justice like cleanup, repairs, or public apologies. The case has stirred debate over where responsibility truly lies—at home, at school, or both.