According to police in Tyler, Texas, a mother allegedly brought alcohol-laced Jell-O shots to an elementary school Christmas party in December.
According to police documents obtained by Law&Crime, an officer described speaking with 15 students who had taken the shots. Almost everyone mentioned having stomachaches and headaches. One boy reported vomiting twice that day. Another student claimed he “passed out.” In a follow-up interview on January 13, a student stated that he received six shots, became dizzy, fell, and felt unable to stand again.
Teresa Isabel Bernal was booked into the Smith County Jail on Monday for reckless bodily injury to a child.
She allegedly raised eyebrows, but not necessarily red flags, when she arrived on December 20, 2024, with the shots. Bernal had a positive reputation prior to the alleged incident.
“During the interviews I was told, while some of the teachers found it odd that Bernal would bring Jell-O shots to an elementary school party, they were trusting Bernal to not bring anything harmful to the school party,” they wrote in their essay. “Bernal was an involved parent and was present at many functions at the school.”
Teachers became suspicious as children became ill. According to police documents, two adults who consumed the Jell-O shots told a third that they believed the drinks contained alcohol.
Bernal allegedly told police that she bought the shots from a business she discovered on Facebook, which the authorities redacted.
“I asked Bernal if the Jell-O shots had alcohol in them and she said they do taste different,” the police reported. “Bernal stated that the Jello-O shots were intended for fifth graders, and she was unaware that they contained alcohol. Bernal also revealed that the Jell-O shots contained alcohol after the children had consumed some of them.”
Cops did not buy it. The affiant claimed he tracked down where she bought the shots. According to police, it was clear that the Jell-O shots contained Vodka.
“In looking at the photo of the Jell-O shots Bernal ordered, it clearly states the Jell-O shots contain Smirnoff,” according to police.
“Tyler ISD is aware of the recent arrest of a parent in connection to an elementary holiday party last December,” the school district said in a statement. “At the time, a parent volunteer brought homemade jello to the celebration, which was later discovered to contain alcohol. Unfortunately, some of the students ate the Jello before the situation was discovered.
Staff took immediate action to address the situation, informing parents and collaborating with law enforcement. Since the incident, the parent has been barred from returning to campus and is now facing legal action. We take this matter very seriously and remain committed to our students’ safety and well-being.
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