Teacher at East Chicago school said she had a 'kill list' of students, police say
EAST CHICAGO, Ind. (CBS) -- A fifth-grade teacher in East Chicago, Indiana is accused of making a "kill list" that included her own students.
It happened at St. Stanislaus School, at 4930 Indianapolis Blvd. in East Chicago. A student in the teacher's class who is being credited for stepping up and telling school leaders about it.
Some parents are not happy about how the private Catholic school informed them about the disturbing allegations.
Fifth-grader Portia Jones is one of the children who reported her teacher. She spoke to CBS 2's Jermont Terry with permission from her father.
"She said that she wanted to kill her middle school friends, her high school friends, and half of her family," Portia said.
Portia recalled the words she said her teacher uttered this week. While in a meeting with her teacher, counselor, and another student, Portia said the teacher spoke about harming students too.
"Then she admitted that she had a kill list," Portia said.
It is not clear if Portia herself was on the teacher's "kill list." But her father is outraged that his daughter is even talking about this.
"It's other parents going through this too, because it's more just than her that goes here," said Quiannis Jones. "It's 23 people in her class alone."
East Chicago police said after Portia, the counselor, and the second student reported the threats to the principal Wednesday afternoon, the teacher was immediately escorted to the principal's office to discuss the matter. The teacher allegedly admitted to making the comment and confirmed she had a "kill list," police said.
The teacher named a specific student on her list, but did not provide the list. The school's principal told the teacher to leave the school and not return pending an investigation.
Police were notified about four hours later, after the teacher was allowed to leave.
On Thursday, police obtained an emergency detention order for the teacher from Lake County, Indiana prosecutors. Police then arrested the teacher at her home in Griffith late Thursday morning.
"They should have never let her walk out them doors," said Quiannis Jones. "They should have called the police right then and there."
"You let somebody leave who's making accusations and confirming them," said parent Kirsten Saldivar.
Parents are upset with how the school went about informing them of the incident. In an email to parents, the school never mentioned threats or a kill list.
"She said that these kids get on her nerves so much that she wanted to kill them. Like, what type of person says that?" said Quiannis Jones. "She ain't mental. She's teacher. Come on now. You all did a background check - unless you all didn't."
The school has an e-learning day on Friday. We are not naming the teacher because she has not been officially charged.
Parents say they want to know who was on the "kill list" and more importantly, why.
St. Stanislaus School released the following statement:
"On Wednesday, October 12, at approximately 12:45 p.m., the staff at St. Stanislaus School responded to a concerning report from a student regarding comments made by the student's teacher. The teacher was removed from the classroom and escorted to the principal's office, where she remained under supervision and had no further contact with students. The teacher was interviewed to further identify the details of the incident.
"After students were safely dismissed at the end of the school day, the teacher was escorted off campus and the East Chicago police department was notified at approximately 4:45 p.m. When asked, the police assured the principal that the facility was safe and that they could proceed normally with all scheduled learning and school events for the next school day.
"The well-being and safety of our Catholic school students and staff is a top priority. In response to this incident the principal has moved to an e-learning environment for Friday, October 14 and made resources available, including access to a school counselor, to support students during this difficult time. The school is working closely with local authorities and the Diocese of Gary's Schools Office to ensure that St. Stanislaus students continue to have a safe and supportive environment in which they can learn, grow and prosper.
"While we are still navigating this unimaginable event, we are grateful for the teachers and staff who carefully and compassionately listen to the concerns of students, with respect for their well-being. We thank God for the family culture of St. Stanislaus that provides students with an environment where they feel safe sharing concerns and questions with teachers and staff. We thank God for guidance while the situation unfolded on Wednesday, bringing truth to light in a way that protected all involved. We thank God for the beautiful community of St. Stanislaus parish who join us in praying for the St. Stanislaus school family.
"If anyone has additional information or questions pertaining to this investigation, we encourage you to contact the East Chicago Police Department."