The FBI are investigating after the mother of a 12 year-old trans girl reported a series of horrific Facebook posts from the parents of fellow students threatening her daughter’s safety.

It all began when 12 year-old Maddie used the girls bathroom on her first day of seventh grade. Maddie has identified as a girl since 2015, but up until that point had used the teachers bathroom. On that first day of school, Maddie had needed the bathroom and didn’t yet know where the staff bathroom was, so used the ladies. Another student’s parents heard of this and posted a disgusting message to a Facebook group.

Posting on the Achille ISD Parents Group, Jamie Crenshaw said: “Heads up parents…the transgender is already using the girls bathroom. We have been told how the school has gone above and beyond to make sure he has his own restroom yet he is still using the girls.” While the post continued to complain about and misidentify the trans girl, it was mild compared to what was to come.

Fully grown adult commenters called 12 year-old girl Maddie: “it” “thing” and “maggot”. One said: “If he wants to be a female make him a female. A good sharp knife will do the job really quick.” Another suggested: “Just tell the kids to kick ass in the bathroom and it won’t want to come back”. A friend of Crenshaw’s suggested having her child attack Maddie – “Let Parker whip his ass until he quits coming to school”.

Other ignorant comments followed along the same disgusting tone.

Following the discovery, Maddie’s family filed for a protective order in court, which then led to the FBI hate crime investigation. Under advice, the school closed down for two days to deal with the fall out from the transphobic abuse going viral. Maddie’s mother told local news: “These are adults making threats to a child. I don’t understand it. She’s just an awesome kid, and then to see any fear in her like that. I can’t explain how bad that hurts me.”

Grown adults threatening mutilation of a preteen trans child in our own backyard. This is unacceptable – if anyone knows the parents of this child, please let them know that we want to help in any way possible. To the Achille ISD: Expect to hear from us soon. https://t.co/Be8dhuHLfT

— PFLAG Oklahoma City (@OKCPFLAG) August 12, 2018

The local branch of PFLAG (Parents and Friends of Lesbians and Gays) wrote a letter to the school district saying: “The Achille ISD community MUST show that they stand by their stated values by actively and publicly supporting and protecting this family. This should include not just the child but also her parents, who we imagine are also heartsick, angry, and terrified for their child’s safety. That is the reality too many families in the LGBTQ community face on a daily basis.”

Since President Trump came to power, trans rights and trans people’s access to bathrooms has become an almost obsessive topic in US media.