Kathryn Leavy, 37, of Westfield, has been charged with one count of explosive devices – knowingly making a false bomb threat, Massachusetts District Attorney Rachel Rollins said. A sign marks the entrance to Boston Children’s Hospital in Boston, August 18, 2022. Brian Snyder/Reuters, FILE On Aug. 30, Boston Children’s Hospital received a bomb threat phone call, in which the caller said, in part, “There’s a bomb on the way to the hospital, better evacuate everybody, sick people,” according to Rollins. . “As you can imagine, this led to an immediate response from the hospital and local and federal authorities,” Rollins said during a press briefing Thursday. The hospital and surrounding area were placed on lockdown, though authorities eventually determined there were no explosive devices at the hospital, Rollins said. Investigators traced the phone number calling the bomb threat to a T-Mobile account belonging to Leavy, Rollins said. “She was arrested at her home earlier today and the phone used to make the alleged threat was recovered,” he said. Massachusetts US Attorney Rachael Rollins gives a press briefing on September 15, 2022. WCVB After an initial court appearance Thursday, Leavy was held pending a detention hearing scheduled for noon Friday. Online court records do not list attorney information for her. The charge carries a sentence of up to 10 years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000, the Justice Department said. “This alleged behavior is troubling to say the least,” Rollins said. “Bomb hoaxes cause fear, panic and divert resources that have a real impact on our communities. The people who work at Children’s Hospital and the parents who bring their loved ones to Children’s Hospital have enough stress.” Rollins would not comment on a possible motive, though he noted that the hospital has been “subjected to an ongoing campaign of harassment” over its gender-affirming care. Boston Children’s Hospital is home to the nation’s first pediatric and transgender adolescent health program, according to the hospital. After it posted a since-removed informational video about the care it provides to gender-affirming patients, far-right social media accounts and commenters began harassing the facility, according to the hospital. “We remain vigilant in our efforts to combat the spread of false information about the hospital and our caregivers,” the hospital said in a statement to ABC News last month. “We are committed to making sure the hospital is a safe place for everyone who works here and comes here.” ABC News’ Kiara Alfonseca contributed to this report.
