A fifth-grade teacher in Indiana was arrested after she admitted to creating a “kill list” of her students and teachers.
A teacher in an Indiana Catholic school was arrested for allegedly telling one of her students that she was the last victim in a “kill list” that the teacher had made, which included other students and school staffers.
The East Chicago, Indiana Police Department said in a statement revealing that a fifth grader told the shocking admission to a guidance counselor at St. Stanislaus Catholic School, in East Chicago, Indiana. The student told the counselor that her teacher had told her that she would kill her, along with other students and school staff members.
Police revealed the teacher’s identity as Angelica Carrasquill-Torres, who lives in Griffith, Indiana.
According to the police, the 25-year-old teacher told the student that she had compiled a “kill list” of several students and staff members.
After the student reported the threat, the school administration alerted the police about four hours later. Before the police arrived at the school, the school’s administration summoned Carrasquill-Torres to the principal’s office and questioned her. The teacher confirmed the student’s allegations, confessed to making the comments and admitted to having a kill list.
Although Carrasquill-Torres admitted to having made a kill list, authorities said she did not provide one during the interrogation and only named the specific student that reported it.
After the interrogation by the principal in her office, Carrasquill-Torres was told to leave the school building. The principal only notified the police of the incident after the teacher had left.
East Chicago Police Chief, Jose Rivera, told the media that the four hours between the school administration knowing about the threats made and reporting the situation to the police had a huge impact on the investigation.
Chief Rivera said he would not blame the school for the delayed arrest of Carrasquill-Torres because they probably followed their policies and protocols immediately after discovering what was happening. However, their actions impacted the police investigations because had the police been present when she admitted to making the threats against the student and having a kill list, she would have been arrested immediately instead of 24 hours later.
According to the school, the teacher left the office after all the students went home.
Police assured the principal that the school could safely proceed with school and activities scheduled for the next day.
The criminal division obtained an emergency detention order, arrested Carrasquill-Torres the following day at her Griffith home, and charged her with felony intimidation.
Chief Rivera, questioning the teacher’s mental state, said that the authorities were working on getting her the mental health services help she needs.
St. Stanislaus School released a statement about the issue and thanked their staff for listening to their students keenly and taking their concerns seriously.
