The Carmi Police Department is aware that the “Cat in the Hat” social media trend has made it to our area.

We are issuing this advisory after a recent post was sent to our attention. This post was AI generated and included some individual homes and local school buildings in their post both in Carmi and neighboring towns. The Carmi Police Department is investigating the incident, but we want to emphasize there is currently no credible threat to the district or its students.

Our department as well as Law enforcement agencies across the country are taking the online fad seriously, with several arrests nationwide already made due to this trend.

Parents and guardians, please talk with your children about the dangers of these online trends and being responsible. We caution everyone that people creating or sharing these posts cannot hide behind artificial intelligence or anonymous accounts. As part of our investigation, we use digital records, social media metadata, smart device activity and phone information to track where posts originated. Online threats are never treated as a joke, and anyone involved — even those just reposting the videos — can face immediate school discipline or severe criminal charges.

Carmi Police urge anyone who spots suspicious or threatening posts targeting local schools or individuals to report the content immediately at 618-382-4633 or by emailing us at carmipolice@gmail.com.