Upper Darby High School Naked Chanters Held for Evaluation

Mental health evaluations called for 2 in Upper Darby nudity case

Four naked chanters -- a mother and her three children -- were arrested at Upper Darby High School on Friday, according to police superintendent Mike Chitwood.

On Monday news surfaced that the mother, Sara Butler, and her three children were undergoing mental health evaluations.

Butler, 43, came to the school with daughter Bessie, 23, daughter Joanne, 22, and her 14-year-old son. Chitwood says the family came to the school three times. The first time they asked for a student -- possibly a family member -- to be released from school and were told to leave. They returned, started chanted and were told to leave again.

The Delaware County Daily Times reports a police affidavit says the school denied the release request because Butler was not the custodial parent.

When they came back the third time, all four stripped down and ran around chanting, according to Chitwood.

When police arrived, they found the family inside the van.

"They're all naked in the van. All their clothing are in a parking spot in the lot of the high school," Chitwood said.

They were chanting religious phrases inside the van and had their arms locked, Chitwood said. The family is from the Germantown neighborhood in Philadelphia.

"We still have not found out why they chose Upper Darby high school to do their praises to Jesus and run around naked in the parking lot," Chitwood said.

Joanne Butler was released on bail on charges including indecent exposure and disorderly conduct. Her mother and sister remained in custody for evaluation, according to the Delco Times.

Chitwood says the four have no affiliation with the school but they did cause quite a commotion because this all happened while school was still in session.


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