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BOSTON (WBZ NewsRadio) — The FBI has made an arrest in connection with a hoax threat made against Boston Children's Hospital, the agency announced Thursday.
United States Attorney Rachael Rollins identified the suspect as Catherine Leavy of Westfield, Mass. Leavy is charged with one count of making a false telephonic bomb threat in connection with a threat made to the hospital on Aug. 30.
The suspect allegedly called the hospital and told the operator, "There is a bomb on the way to the hospital. You better evacuate everybody, you sickos."
Leavy was arrested at her home without incident and is being held pending a detention hearing scheduled for noon on Friday.
Boston's Children Hospital has been the recent victim of two phoned-in threats in as many weeks. An anonymous bomb threat on Aug. 30 sent the hospital into lockdown while police searched the building. No one was injured and nothing suspicious was found. Then on Sept. 9, multiple police units were called to the hospital after another threat was made, with no injuries or suspicious findings reported.
Federal officials say the hospital has received dozens of hoax threats, including harassing phone calls, individual death threats, and threats of mass casualty attacks. The hospital recently warned its staff of an increase in these threats, which were tied to anti-trans harassment campaigns that spread misinformation about the care the facility offers transgender youth.
"Boston Children's Hospital has been subjected to a sustained harassment campaign based on the dissemination of information online regarding the services offered by the hospital's gender multispecialty service, which according to the hospital provides individualized, safe, and affirmative care to gender diverse and transgendered individuals and their family," Rollins said while speaking at a press conference Thursday.
Several other hospitals around the country have been targeted for their gender-affirming treatment for minors.
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