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, an officer recalled speaking with 15 teenagers who had consumed the shots. Almost everyone mentioned getting 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 willful bodily injury to a child.
She supposedly 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 stated in their essay. “Bernal was an involved parent and was present at many functions at the school.”
Teachers became suspicious when children became ill. According to police documents, two people who had the Jell-O shots told a third that they believed the drinks included alcohol.
Bernal allegedly told police that she bought the shots from a firm 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,” authorities wrote. “Bernal said the Jello-O shots were meant for the 5th graders and she did not know the shots contained alcohol. Bernal also said she discovered the Jell-O shots contained alcohol after the children had consumed some of the shots.”
Cops did not buy it. The affiant claimed he found exactly where she bought the shots. According to authorities, 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,” police wrote.