Crystal Royster, a 42‑year‑old mother from Michigan, will spend time in jail and on probation after she falsely reported a bomb at her daughter’s high school because the girl wasn’t allowed to be in a school play. The episode unfolded at Lake Shore High School in St. Clair Shores on March 12, 2025, and caused fear and chaos for students, teachers and families alike.
It began when school officials told Royster her daughter couldn’t take part in that day’s school play. According to prosecutors, the girl had gone home sick earlier in the day, and school rules bar students from activities if they leave early due to illness. Upset by the decision, Royster picked up the phone and called Lake Shore High School not once, but twice, telling staff there was a bomb inside the building.
The calls sparked an immediate and serious response. School administrators ordered an evacuation, and more than 700 students and staff were sent out into the brisk Michigan air as police, fire crews and other emergency responders swarmed the campus to search for the supposed explosive device. After a careful sweep, no bomb or suspicious items were found.
Investigators quickly traced the hoax to Royster’s calls. She was arrested and charged with a felony count of making a false report or threat of a bomb, a serious offense that can carry up to four years in prison under Michigan law. In November 2025, she pleaded guilty to that charge in Macomb County Circuit Court.
On January 8, 2026, Judge Michael E. Servitto handed down her sentence. Royster was ordered to serve 14 days in the Macomb County Jail, with credit for three days she had already spent behind bars, and then continue her sentence through 18 months of probation.
Along with her jail time and probation, Royster must abide by strict conditions. She is forbidden from contacting anyone affected by her bomb threat, must notify the school before setting foot on campus, and has been ordered to complete a Class A impulse control course to help manage her reactions in stressful situations.
Macomb County Prosecutor Peter J. Lucido said officials hoped the sentence would remind others that making false threats has real consequences and disrupts entire communities, even if no physical harm occurs. The case also adds to a growing conversation about accountability when emotions over school decisions spiral into dangerous actions.
