Woman jailed for extorting brothers after school BB gun suspension, police say

A child was suspended from school after bringing a BB gun onto campus, and the school contacted the boy’s listed emergency contact. That contact allegedly used the situation to extort the child and his brother for money in exchange for not telling their mother about the incident. The emergency contact was arrested Thursday.

In March 2025, a boy purchased a BB gun on Amazon and gave it to his older brother, who brought it to school. The school contacted the boys’ emergency contact, Valeda Suarez, 48. The children’s mother was never informed about the suspension.

The relationship between Suarez and the children remains unclear.

Suarez offered to let the boy stay at her home during school hours while he was suspended so he would not get into trouble with his mother, according to her arrest affidavit from the Miami Police Department.

Shortly afterward, both brothers told police that Suarez began extorting them, threatening to report them to authorities for possession of a firearm and warning they would go to jail if they did not give her money. She also allegedly threatened to tell their mother about their grades if they refused to pay.

The brothers complied, giving Suarez money in cash and through Cash App using money that their mother had given them, police say.

Detectives arranged a meeting with Suarez at a Taco Bell, where she admitted to the extortion, telling investigators she was going through a difficult time and needed the money, police say.

Suarez is charged with child abuse and neglect and threats of extortion. Court records show she has since bonded out of jail and pleaded not guilty.