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Parents upset after not being notified of PNG threat

Parents at Port Neches-Groves High School are complaining the school district kept them in the dark about an alleged terroristic threat was made by 17-year-old Triston Miller.

Parents at Port Neches-Groves High School are complaining the school district kept them in the dark about an alleged terroristic threat was made by 17-year-old Triston Miller.

Miller was arrested yesterday afternoon for allegedly planning to shoot teachers and students on the 18th anniversary of the Columbine Anniversary on Thursday.

Parents like Lanae Zumo said they are concerned they were not notified earlier when school officials found out about the alleged plot last week.

"We weren’t told anything,” said Zumo. “I think we should have been told something, we should have been informed by email, a letter or something should have been sent out to us," said Zumo.

Zumo has a daughter that is a freshman at PNG, she said what Miller was allegedly planning to do is frightening.  However, she said it’s more disturbing that the school knew about this last Thursday.

"It’s more shocking to know they knew before Easter that it happened you know, they should have told us you know," said Zumo.

Another parent named Heather Carlile has a sophomore that goes to PNG High School. She said she is still shocked by everything that happened.

"It's crazy that it’s still happening and it’s a threat everywhere," said Carlile.

Police said Miller was expelled from school but the school district did not tell us when it happened. 

Miller was taken to the Jefferson County jail, his bond set at $100,000 and placed on a mental health hold.

12news reached out to Superintendent Rodney Cavness about the parents complaints.

He said the school district handled everything professionally. He explained the district did not notify parents because the situation was handled by police and no one at school was in any harm or danger.

The Port Neches Police Department increased its police presence across the school district for the Columbine anniversary today. Chief John Lemoine said they also increased police presence at the schools because of the threats made by Miller.  

However, parents still said they want to know if there is an incident at school in the future

"I just think if they could come up with a system to let us know what’s going on and have a message to know what’s going on just to let us know everything is okay," said Carlile.

Superintendent Cavness also told 12news that the school district does not notify parents each time disciplinary action is taken because it would cause hysteria. He adds that he's happy the situation was handled quickly by police and the district. 

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