Story by Annie Knox, KSL.com

SALT LAKE CITY — A teenager accused of trying to make a backpack bomb and detonate it at a southern Utah high school has a history of being bullied and often kept it to himself, his parents testified in court this week in St. George.

“He tries to figure things out himself,” the mother of the 16-year-old said. “And even before he’ll come to me, sometimes I’ll ask him, ‘What are you thinking about?’ And he’ll say, ‘I’m not ready to talk about it with you, but I’m working on it.'”

Experts offered differing views of the risk the teen may pose to his community after the March ordeal at Pine View High School in St. George. No one was injured, but police said the school was evacuated after students discovered a smoking backpack near a vending machine in March.

A judge did not immediately issue a ruling Friday after two days of a hearing meant to determine whether the boy will be tried as an adult.

READ MORE ABOUT THIS STORY AT KSL.COM.