College dropout who pocketed tuition from mom fakes bomb threat to cancel graduation

A Massachusetts woman admitted to phoning in two bomb threats to Quinnipiac University in an attempt to hide from family members that she had dropped out of school and would not graduate.

Danielle Shea was arrested Sunday while wearing a cap and gown at TD Bank Sports Center, where university officials had moved the graduation ceremony after the bomb threats were made.

A woman called university police about 5:45 p.m. -- or 15 minutes before the graduation -- warning of a bomb in the library.

She called back 17 minutes later, while police were searching the library, and warned that several more bombs were placed on campus.

“You haven't cleared out graduation,” the caller said. “That's not a good idea."

Police said they traced the two threats to the 22-year-old Shea’s cell phone and found her in the athletic complex.

Investigators said the Quincy woman gave a detailed confession, saying that her mother had paid thousands of dollars toward what she believed was education, but Shea had instead dropped out of school.

"Then mother didn't see her name on the graduation roster and she panicked and called in a couple of bomb threats," said Capt. Ronald Smith, of Hamden police.

She was charged with first-degree threatening and falsely reporting an incident.

Shea was held on $20,000 bond and is scheduled to appear May 30 in court.

No bombs were located on campus.

The graduation ceremony began at 7:30 p.m. at the area.

Watch this video report posted online by WFSB-TV:

WFSB 3 Connecticut