A student at Chocksett Middle School in Sterling, Massachusetts, sparked a police investigation after several classmates’ names were discovered inside a notebook inspired by Death Note. Although authorities determined that the notebook posed no credible threat, the student was suspended for three days.
The notebook was discovered by school staff at around 4 p.m. on September 30, 2026, after students had left for the day. Staff immediately contacted police, and school officials and officers subsequently interviewed the student who owned the notebook as well as others involved. In a letter to parents, Principal Tina Boss wrote, "The student explained that the notebook was connected to a Japanese anime and was not intended to threaten anyone." She emphasized that there was no evidence its contents represented a threat against the school or any specific student.
Sterling Police also stated that no criminal charges would be filed based on the investigation. However, in response to concerns about campus safety, officers were stationed at the school on October 6, 2026, with police saying their presence would continue as needed.
In Death Note, anyone whose name is written in a notebook belonging to a god of death will die. Ordinary notebooks designed to resemble the one featured in the series are also widely available, but the premise has raised concerns among parents in the United States when brought into schools.
One mother whose child’s name appeared in the notebook criticized the three-day suspension as too lenient in a Facebook post: "A student created a kill list with my daughter’s name on it, and after a three-day suspension, she can return to the same classroom!" She added that despite the school’s safety plan, her daughter would still have to share a classroom with the student every day, leaving her feeling unsafe.
This is not the first incident of its kind. In September 2024, a student-made Death Note notebook was also discovered at I Promise School in Akron, Ohio. No one was harmed, but the incident similarly drew criticism from parents whose children’s names had been written inside.
via： IGN