Amityville police investigate alleged AI misuse and harassment at high school

Amityville police are investigating a disturbing allegation that a student at Amityville High School misused artificial intelligence and social media to target another child, a case now pulling school discipline, student privacy and law enforcement into the same spotlight in Suffolk County.

Police Chief Frank Caramanica confirmed the Amityville Village Police Department is looking into the incident after a parent said their child had been targeted. The Amityville School District told families it could not release more details because of privacy laws, leaving unanswered questions about what material was shared, which platforms were involved and whether the conduct was aimed at one student or more than one.

That limited disclosure is not unusual when minors are involved. Federal FERPA rules restrict the release of personally identifiable student information, and New York Education Law 2-d bars the unauthorized release of personally identifiable student, teacher or administrator data. State Education Department guidance also says districts must protect student data privacy and build online safety into internet safety policies, including steps that address monitoring minors’ online activity and teaching appropriate online behavior.

For parents, the immediate concern is less about the technical details of the case than the signs of harm that can surface before adults know the full story. In a school setting, that can include impersonation, altered images, threatening messages, or fabricated posts that spread quickly through a class, a team or a broader social circle. Once those materials circulate, school officials and police may need to preserve evidence, separate disciplinary issues from possible criminal conduct and protect the student who was targeted.

Caramanica, who was sworn in as Amityville village police chief on Sept. 8, 2025, is now the public face of that process. The investigation comes as schools across the country confront cases in which AI tools have been used to generate sexualized or pornographic images involving students and staff. In Radnor Township, Pennsylvania, police charged a juvenile in a case involving AI-generated sexualized images of other students. In Itasca, Texas, a former student was arrested after allegations of AI-generated pornography involving photos of teachers and students.

In Amityville, officials have not said whether the alleged conduct involved images, messages or impersonation, but the district’s decision to alert families shows it views the matter as serious. For Suffolk parents, the case is a reminder that online harassment can move from a phone screen into a school hallway fast, and that the real test for districts is whether they can identify the harm, preserve the evidence and protect students before the damage spreads.