Parents Urge Caution After Southside Teens Face Charges for Toilet Paper Prank

A Facebook post from local Lafayette Parish resident Ashley Markley has sparked quite the discussion among parents after a group of Southside High School students were charged for toilet papering a classmate’s home during homecoming week.

According to Markley, her son Austin and friends, spread across three cars, participated in what they believed to be an innocent tradition. But the night quickly escalated when the homeowner confronted them, got into his SUV, and chased the teens through neighborhoods in Youngsville, reportedly following them for more than ten minutes before calling police.

Markley says officers later visited their homes and issued criminal mischief and criminal trespassing charges to nine students. She noted that the “damage” amounted only to toilet paper and Post-it notes, with no harm done to the property.

Viral Reaction and Parental Warning

Markley’s Facebook post has since gone viral, with over 100 shares and comments from locals shocked by the incident. Many called the father’s reaction “excessive” and “dangerous,” arguing that chasing teenagers in a vehicle was far more reckless than the prank itself.

Others expressed frustration that what was once a harmless rite of passage has now become grounds for criminal charges in an era of doorbell cameras and heightened tensions.

Markley is now urging parents to make sure homeowners are aware and okay before their kids go “rolling” houses during homecoming festivities.

Update: Homeowner Responds After Viral Post

Following the viral Facebook post about the Southside homecoming TPing incident, the homeowner involved reached out to clarify that the situation went beyond simple toilet papering.

According to her, the kids didn’t just roll the house—they rang the doorbell close to midnight, covered the camera in Vaseline and paper, and tapped on a child’s bedroom window, frightening her. She added that a capsule containing shredded paper was also dropped on the property.

The homeowner also clarified that her husband did not “chase” the teens, but instead followed long enough to get a license plate number for police. She also noted that their home had been TP’d earlier that same night by another group, but they didn’t call police then because “that one was just toilet paper.”

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She said the family is willing to drop the charges if the students take accountability, stressing that parents should use this as a reminder to talk to their kids about boundaries.

For her, once it goes beyond toilet paper, it becomes a problem. She warns that even if some kids are only participating in the harmless fun parts, they’re still lumped in with anyone taking things too far.

Youngsville Police Chief JP Broussard echoed a reminder posted earlier in the week (above), pointing to a curfew for minors (11 p.m. on weekdays, midnight on weekends) and urging parents to help their kids understand the line between homecoming fun and criminal behavior.

A Reminder for Parents and Teens

While toilet papering has long been seen as a lighthearted high school tradition, this Youngsville incident serves as a reminder that not everyone views it the same way, and what starts as fun could easily turn into something serious.

As Markley put it, “If the dad would have called me and told me he was upset, I would have made Austin go clean it up.”

Now, parents across Acadiana are using her post as a fair warning: in 2025, even toilet paper can come with consequences.