Teen arrested after dolls found hanging from trees at three Saratoga schools

By Sherman Alexie On Oct 27, 2023

SAN JOSE — A teenager suspected of hanging several dolls with nooses from the trees of multiple Saratoga schools last fall was arrested Wednesday on felony terrorism charges, authorities said.

The teen was booked into Santa Clara County’s juvenile hall on three felony counts of terrorism by symbol, all connected to incidents in mid-November 2022 at Redwood Middle School, Prospect High School and Saratoga High School, according to the Santa Clara County Sheriff’s Office.

The teen’s name was not released, because he was a juvenile at the time of the alleged crimes, the sheriff’s office said. He has since turned 18.

The case dates to Nov. 11, when a doll with a dark complexion was found hanging with a noose from a tree at Redwood Middle School. Two days later, another such doll was found hanging from a tree at Prospect High School. A third doll was discovered hanging from a tree on Nov. 14 at Saratoga High School.

The discoveries rattled the South Bay community last year, prompting some students at Redwood Middle School to wear orange in support of “United Against Hate Week,” while other students at organized a rally led by Saratoga High School’s Anti-Racism Task Force. At the time, Saratoga Union School District Superintendent Ken Geisick emphasized that “a noose is a reprehensible symbol of hate and violence and will not be tolerated in our district.”

The doll-hanging incidents later became the subject of an anti-hate panel discussion in March, where students implored others to do more to fight against the scourge of racism.

“Speak up, ensure a positive community culture and put in the work for inclusion,” said Aneri Shah, a Saratoga High School student, during the event. “Don’t just say you’re going to be inclusive. Unity and healing may not be easy to achieve, but it’s worth the work.”

An email sent Thursday to the Saratoga Union School District seeking comment was not immediately returned.

Investigators suspect a second person also helped the teen, though details about that other person’s alleged involvement were not released Wednesday. No other arrests have been announced in the case.

In a statement, Sheriff Robert Jonsen vowed to continue investigating the incidents.

“Hate has no place in our community and the Sheriff’s Office will leave no stone unturned until individuals who bring hate to our county are held accountable,” Jonsen said.

Anyone with information about the incidents can contact the sheriff’s office at 408-808-4500, or its anonymous tip line at 408-808-4431.

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