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Florida Teen Expelled and Charged As Adult For Bad Science Experiment

Kiera Wilmot, a 16-year-old high school student, was expelled and faces felony charges for conducting an explosive science experiment on school grounds.

Kiera Wilmot, 16, is known as a good student at her Florida High School, but her curiosity in creating a small explosive concoction on school grounds has now left her expelled and facing felony charges, according to WTSP.

Wilmot was arrested on Monday morning and accused of mixing toilet bowl cleaner and aluminum foil in an 8-ounce plastic bottle, which set off a small explosion and produced smoke on the school grounds of Bartow High School. There are many YouTube videos of users creating similar mixtures, according to the Miami NewTimes

The teen told the police that she was conducting a science project but teachers say they had not assigned her one involving this activity.

Wilmot's principal defended her, saying she made a bad choice.

"Honestly, I don't think she meant to ever hurt anyone," principal Ron Pritchard told WTSP.

"She wanted to see what would happen [when the chemicals mixed] and was shocked by what it did. Her mother is shocked too." He also noted that she did not leave the school when the explosive set off.

Polk County Schools explained why Wilmot was expelled in a statement.

"Anytime a student makes a bad choice it is disappointing to us. Unfortunately, the incident that occurred at Bartow High School yesterday was a serious breach of conduct. In order to maintain a safe and orderly learning environment, we simply must uphold our code of conduct rules."

She is being charged with two felonies: possession/discharge of a weapon on school property and discharging a destructive device.

A Change.org petition has been created in the wake of the news of the teen being charged as an adult. The document, which has received over 14,000 signatures as of Thursday morning is calling for the The Bartow Police and Bartow High School to drop charges against Kiera.

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(Photo: Courtesy of WTSP.com)

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