Instagram threat targeted specific students, report says

ANDOVER — Three teenage girls accused of posting a threat on Instagram mentioned specific students, authorities say.

CBS New York reported the message began "Andover kids watch out for Tuesday, crazy (blank) is going to happen" with a picture of schools in the Sussex County school district, including the Long Pond School, which the girls attend. It them reportedly went on to mention specific students.

Two of the 8th-graders are from Andover Township, while a third is from Andover Borough. They created an Instagram account to make the threat, and that account has since been deleted, police said, according to the report.

The threats were initially reported to police on Sunday. The girls face fourth-degree criminal charges of cyber harassment and harassment under New Jersey's cyber harassment law, which took effect in 2014.

According to the law, teen offenders and their parents or guardians could be required to take cyber harassment awareness classes. The law does not prescribe any jail time.

Andover Police said parents should be involved in their children's social media accounts.

"You should review the benefits of these accounts along with the pitfalls and the potential consequences for misuse of social media," police wrote.

Contact reporter Dan Alexander at Dan.Alexander@townsquaremedia.com.

More from New Jersey 101.5: