A mother in East Texas was arrested after a child got sick from alleged vodka-laced Jell-O shots at a fifth grade school holiday party in December.
Teresa Isabel Bernal, 33, is facing a felony count of injury to a child after multiple students consumed what officials allege were vodka-laced treats Dec. 20 at Jones Elementary School in Tyler.
According to an arrest affidavit obtained by KETK, a Tyler Independent School District (ISD) police officer received a phone call from the Jones Elementary assistant principal that said she believed a parent had brought in Jell-O shots to a class Christmas party.
One child threw up and another was unable to stand after consuming six shots, according to an arrest affidavit. School staff said students had consumed nearly all the tainted shots before staff realized they contained alcohol.
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Fifteen students were sent to the school nurse and reported having stomach aches and headaches, the affidavit said.
After returning from Christmas break, another student reported he had thrown up twice at school that day, according to the affidavit, while another student claimed he had “passed out” after school following the party.
Bernal told the officer she had purchased the Jell-O shots from a local business she found on Facebook.
“The business is run out of a house, so she went by the house and purchased the Jell-O shots and brought them to the school for the Christmas party,” the affidavit said.
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Bernal denied knowing there was any alcohol in the Jell-O shots and claimed she did not intend to give alcohol-laced treats to the students.
However, investigators disagreed with Bernal’s claims, saying that, after looking at the photo of the Jell-O shots she ordered, “it clearly states the Jell-O shots contain Smirnoff [a vodka brand],” the complaint says.
“In my opinion, there is no way Bernal could have missed the fact that the Jello-O shots she purchased and brought to her daughter’s fifth grade Christmas party contained drinking alcohol,” the arrest affidavit states.
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During an interview with some of the teachers, they told investigators they “found it odd” that Bernal would bring Jell-O shots to a class party but “trusted” Bernal would not bring “anything harmful” to the school party.
Tyler ISD officials shared a statement with Fox News Digital, saying they were aware of Bernal’s recent arrest and were working with law enforcement in the investigation.
“Tyler ISD is aware of the recent arrest of a parent in connection to an elementary holiday party last December. At the time, a parent volunteer brought homemade Jell-O to the celebration, which was later found to contain alcohol. Unfortunately, some students consumed the Jell-O before the situation was discovered. Staff acted immediately to address the situation, informing parents and working with law enforcement. We take this matter very seriously and remain committed to the safety and well-being of our students.” – Tyler ISD
The district added that Bernal has not been allowed back on campus since the incident and now faces legal consequences.
According to jail records, Bernal was booked into jail April 21, and her bail is set at $75,000.
She has yet to appear in court and does not appear to have a lawyer at this time.
Stepheny Price is a writer for Fox News Digital and Fox Business. She covers topics including missing persons, homicides, national crime cases, illegal immigration, and more. Story tips and ideas can be sent to [email protected]
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