East Chicago teacher charged after having alleged 'kill list' of students' names, records say

EAST CHICAGO, Ind. (WLS) -- An East Chicago, Indiana, teacher is in custody after allegedly telling a student she had a "kill list."

The details of that list are horrifying, showing names of students and staff that she says she wanted to kill at her school.

Classes at St. Stanislaus Catholic School are being held remotely Friday as the investigation continues into one of its teachers.

Police said officers were called to St. Stanislaus School at 4930 Indianapolis Blvd. at about 5 p.m. Wednesday. There, the principal and assistant principal told them a student told their counselor that their fifth grade teacher made comments to them about killing herself, students and staff at the school.

Police said the teacher, 25-year-old Angelica Carrasquillo, told the student she had a list and that the student was at the bottom of that list. She has been charged with felony intimidation, according to court documents.

"I'm really, like, scared and worried," said Portia Jones, the student involved. "She said she wanted to choke us and she wanted to kill herself."

"They really need to work on this one because this is something serious," said Portia's father, Quiannis Jones. "She's really, probably, not ever going back there."

Court documents show Carrasquillo admitting those details to the school principal, allegedly saying in part, "I want to kill myself, staff and students, and I did also make a kill list."

The court documents go onto show Carasquillo's explanation behind that list in her conversation with the principal.

She allegedly said, "I'm having trouble with my mental health and sometimes the kids do not listen in the classroom. I also have trauma caused when I went to high school."

Police say during that conversation, Carrasquillo named a specific student on her list but did not give the full list.

The principal sent the teacher home and told her not to return to the school, pending an investigation.

East Chicago police said the student alerted their counselor to the teacher's comments around 12:45 p.m. but police were not called until four hours later, after the teacher was allowed to leave.

"They should have never let her walk out them doors. They should've called the police right then and there. That's a threat on the school," Quiannis said.

Thursday morning, police took the teacher into custody at her Griffith home without incident.

The investigation is ongoing and active, police said. No further details have been released.

Classes at the school are expected to be held in person again next week, and the school's principal said counselors will be made available for students and staff.

A court date is still pending for the teacher.

Full letter from St. Stanislaus School principal

Dear Parents,

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.

Principal Foy

Diocese of Gary Office of Catholic Schools 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