An alarming incident unfolded in an Indiana school, underscoring the grave implications of not acting swiftly in the face of danger, especially when it pertains to our children’s safety.
Angelica Carrasquillo-Torres, a 5th-grade teacher, was arrested after disturbingly admitting to having a “kill list” of students and faculty members. What’s more unsettling is that the school principal waited four hours before notifying the authorities.
The school at the center of this shocking story is St. Stanislaus Catholic Parish School, situated approximately 20 miles south of bustling downtown Chicago. Carrasquillo-Torres, only 25 years old, verified the chilling details relayed to the principal by a brave student, according to ABC News.
A fifth-grader, Portia Jones, courageously disclosed to CBS, “She said that she wanted to kill her middle school friends, her high school friends, and half of her family.” Jones further revealed that Carrasquillo-Torres confessed to having a “kill list”.
Her fear and worry were palpable when she stated, “She said she wanted to choke us, and she wanted to kill herself.”
On October 12th, this terrifying scenario began to unfold at around 12:45 p.m. As reported by Timcast News, the young student confided in a school counselor that Carrasquillo-Torres had spoken to her about suicide and her intent to murder students and faculty members. Allegedly, the teacher also shared with the student that she had a “kill list” and that the student was, alarmingly, on it.
Despite the gravity of the situation, the East Chicago Police Department was only informed about the occurrence four hours later. The delay raises questions about the school’s protocol for ensuring students’ safety, fueling outrage among parents who rightly demand swift action in such matters.
As stated by the East Chicago Police Department on their social media, “the teacher was immediately escorted into the Principal’s office to discuss the matter”. During the discussion, Carrasquillo-Torres reportedly confessed to having made the alarming comments to the student and verified the existence of her ‘kill list’. Despite the horrifying admission, she was simply advised to leave and not return to school pending an investigation.
This revelation sparked a wave of criticism towards the school principal, with parents questioning why the authorities were not alerted immediately. One parent, Kirsten Saldivar, expressed her frustration to a local Fox affiliate, saying that the initial email from the school provided no details about the situation, leaving them unaware of the danger.
The day after the shocking revelation, police managed to secure an emergency detention order for Carrasquillo-Torres. Subsequently, she was arrested without incident at her home in Griffith, Indiana, around 11:15 a.m.
While the investigation into this horrifying event continues, there’s an immediate need to reflect on how such an incident was allowed to unfold. The delay in reporting this threat to the police highlights the gaps in school safety protocols.
As we continue to entrust our children’s safety to these institutions, there’s an urgent need for better protocols to ensure their protection, demonstrating once again the critical importance of swift and decisive action in the face of potential danger.
Sources: Thegoptimes, ABC News, WLS-TV, CBS, Timcast News