Shivangi Sinha
In 2016, there was a surge in reported clown sightings all across the US. What started as a small phenomenon grew into a much larger one, with many copycats and pranksters getting behind it. In September 2016, some students from Flomaton High School received threatening messages, sparking panic and leading to a soft lockdown at the school. Police apprehended the perpetrator, Makayla Smith, whose interview is featured in Hulu’s ‘Clown Panic’. In the interview, she urges people to look beyond that one incident and see her as a person who had to bear the brunt of a much larger phenomenon unfolding around her.
Makayla Smith Claimed She Created the Flomo Klown Account With Two Kids
Makayla Smith said that she was six weeks pregnant in 2016. At the time, she was based in Flomaton, Alabama, and living with a family that had two teenagers. She recalled that there was a rise in clown sightings and related content being shared on social media. According to her, the boy she was with had allegedly started receiving threatening messages from an account with a clown as its profile picture. In retaliation, she decided to create a Facebook page with him so they could talk back to the account on the platform.
According to Makayla, she used the account with the teenagers for a few hours before going to sleep. The next morning, she discovered that the boy had allegedly continued sending messages from the account throughout the night. The account, operating under the name Flomo Clown, sent a Flomaton High School student a friend request at around 5:40 am on September 15, 2016, followed by threatening messages such as, “Coming for you, gonna kill you, see you at school.” The threats created panic and the high school went into a soft lockdown. Nearby schools and some in Florida were also placed on alert. According to reports, the page used stock images of horror-movie clowns, posted the names of schools, and allegedly included gun emojis.
Makayla Smith Entered a Plea Deal After Facing Terrorism Charges
The FBI became involved in the case and traced the IP address back to the house where Makayla Smith was staying. Two juveniles were arrested alongside her, although they were later released. Makayla, however, faced criminal charges and was indicted for making a terrorist threat and disrupting school activities through a terrorist threat. In the episode, she recalled that when she was taken behind bars, her thoughts were consumed by the baby she was about to have and the fear that her life was over.
In January 2018, Makayla pleaded guilty to one count of making a terrorist threat. She received a 120-month prison sentence, which was suspended, along with 60 months of probation. As part of her probation, she was prohibited from using social media. Since then, she has largely kept a low profile. In the episode, Makayla said she felt she had been made an example of amid the escalating social tensions surrounding the clown panic. While acknowledging responsibility for her actions, Makayla also expressed the belief that the punishment she received was excessive for what she had considered a prank.
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