Tampa woman charged with threats against Sandy Hook parent

TAMPA (FOX 13) - A Tampa woman is accused of making death threats to the parent of a first grader who died in the Sandy Hook massacre.

Investigators say 57-year-old Lucy Richards is among those who believe the 2012 shooting, that killed 20 children and 6 adults, was all a hoax. Her disbelief is so strong, investigators say she targeted a father who lost his child in the shooting. That man now lives on the east coast of Florida.

According to the indictment ,Richards contacted the father four times on January 10, saying things like, "You gonna die, death is coming to you real soon," "there's nothing you can do about it," and "look behind you, death is coming to you real soon."

Richards was arrested Monday. She is charged with four counts of transmitting threats in interstate commerce. With each count carrying a maximum of five years in prison, she could spend 20 years behind bars, if convicted.

Richards is not alone in her beliefs. There's a whole online community of people certain the Sandy Hook shooting was staged.

She is the second person this week facing criminal charges due to conspiracy theories. Sunday, Edgar Welch was arrested for bringing a gun  inside a Washington, D.C. pizzeria. He told police he was there to self-investigate a child trafficking ring he read about on a website, which has since been discredited and labeled "fake news."

Psychologist Dr. Mark Prange says it's often a long-term emotional habit of not using reasoning makes people cling so tightly to conspiracy theories.

"The story is going to always be more powerful than the logic," Prange said. "Not using a process that says, what are the checks and balances of the beliefs I am holding to and not being open that allows the belief system to get locked into almost a delusional way of looking at the world."

He says trying to help someone locked into an extreme belief system can be challenging, "because that belief may be more important or may be so threatening for them to face why they're holding it."

Prange said, "It can snowball if one has not had educational experiences or family experiences or even social experiences where their beliefs are challenged."

Lucy Richards' next hearing is December 19.