A Bremerton High School student initially questioned about a potential staph infection Feb. 4 was found with a hatchet in his backpack at school.

Police were called to the school at 11:27 a.m. A vice principal told officers the boy’s mother called the school, saying she suspected her son had a contagious staph infection, according to Bremerton Police reports. The boy was supposed to see a doctor the day before, but skipped school and went to Seattle with friends.

When school officials contacted the boy, they discovered the hatchet in his backpack with a rubber cover over the sharp edge. The boy apologized, saying he usually takes the hatchet out of his backpack before going to school, but was in a hurry that morning and forgot about it.

Because of the boy’s potentially contagious condition, caused by scrapes inflicted while skateboarding, officers did not want to take him to juvenile detention and the school did not want him to stay there. Officers gave the boy a ride home and confiscated the hatchet.

Charges for investigation of bringing a dangerous weapon to school were forwarded to juvenile prosecutors.