Joe.My.God. LGBT News
Miami’s NBC affiliate reports:
Two teens are facing felony charges after a viral video showing boaters dumping trash in the ocean off Boca Raton sparked outrage, officials said Friday. The teens — 15 and 16 years old — turned themselves in to police Friday, FWC officials said.
The viral video, which was posted on the Instagram account Wavy Boats, shows 10 people onboard the boat traveling out of Boca Inlet on Sunday. Two people are seen emptying large garbage cans full of trash and bottles into the ocean before heading back to the Boca Bash.
Miami’s ABC affiliate reports:
Authorities charged both 16-year-old Michael Kirby and 15-year-old Charles Ruth with third degree felony cause pollution. The video captured by drone on Sunday shows a group of young people on a boat in the Boca Inlet illegally dumping two trash cans of garbage into ocean.
A trail of trash could be seen floating in the water while one of the boaters posed for the passing drone as the boat headed back to the popular event called Boca Bash. The felony charges that the teens are facing carry up to a $50,000 fine and up to five years in jail.
Online sleuths identified the teens and their families days ago but local outlets were careful not to name them until arrests were made.
The original drone video, which has been viewed tens of millions of time, spawned particular outrage because the teens celebrated and cheered when they realized they were being filmed.
The family of one of the teens has apologized to the public, calling the incident a “teaching moment for the young kids involved,” adding that they should get community service related to oceanic conservation.