Bomb Threat: Western Mass Woman Admits To Making Call To Boston Children's Hospital

Days after posts from a controversial Twitter account last year called out Boston Children's Hospital's work with transgender teenagers, the renowned institution was bombarded with hate from those opposing gender-reaffirming care. One of those people was a Westfield woman who has now admitted to calling in a bomb threat, authorities said.

Josh Lanier

09/29/2023 12:52 p.m.

Catherine Leavy, 37, pleaded guilty this week to one count of making a false bomb threat and one count of intentionally conveying false or misleading information that a bomb was on the way to Boston Children’s Hospital, the US Attorney for Massachusetts said. Leavy faces a possible 15 years in prison.

Related: Boston Children's Hospital Evacuates After Receiving Bomb Threat

Leavy's call rang at Boston Children's Hospital around 8 p.m. on Aug. 30, 2022, federal investigators said. “There is a bomb on the way to the hospital, you better evacuate everybody you sickos," she said before hanging up.

Related: Canadian Man Admits To Calling In Threats To Boston Children's Hospital

Though Leavy told federal agents she had no plans to bomb the facility, her call forced an evacuation and panic through the hospital and surrounding area. Leavy said she was angry over Boston Children's Hospital's Gender Multispecialty Service (GeMS) program, which focused on gender-diverse and transgender minors, the prosecutor said.

Leavy made the call from her cell phone, investigators found after they traced it back to the source. It also was made from either at or near Leavy's home, cell phone tower data said.

Police arrested her on Sept. 15, 2022, and officers found the phone used to make the call inside her house.

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