Christian school teacher caught on surveillance poisoning husband, Missouri cops say
A teacher at a Christian high school is accused of trying to kill her husband by blending a poisonous root into his smoothie, Missouri police say.
Sarah Scheffer, 37, is charged with attempted murder following a series of alleged poisonings, the latest occurring Tuesday, Jan. 16, according to the Jefferson City Police Department. Scheffer is a design and art teacher at Calvary Lutheran High School in Jefferson City.
Police said Scheffer’s husband grew suspicious during a six-week span as he was given food or beverage by his wife that featured an “odd taste.” It caused him “extreme fatigue, confusion, blurred vision, severe cotton mouth and nausea.”
He was given beverages Dec. 31 and Jan. 1 that each had a bitter taste, according to police.
When he confronted his wife, she initially said she had urinated in the beverage, police said. She later said she put an adhesive in the drink, before denying doing anything to it.
The husband installed a surveillance camera in their kitchen, which captured Scheffer placing a bag labeled “Lily of the valley” onto a table, according to a probable cause statement. Ingesting the plant can reportedly cause seizures, vomiting, diarrhea, heart arrhythmia and death in severe cases.
Scheffer was seen using contents of the bag for a smoothie she made for her husband, police said. She poured the contents of the smoothie into a tumbler and placed it in the refrigerator.
Police seized the tumbler, at which point Scheffer was questioned by officers. She admitted to adding a root of the poisonous plant to her husband’s drink, knowing it could harm or kill him, police said.
Scheffer is being held in the Cole County Jail, according to police.
A Calvary Lutheran High School spokesperson said “consistent action” was taken in response to Scheffer’s arrest, according to KMIZ and KOMU.
“The alleged conduct was outside of the employee’s association with the school and did not involve a student or any other school personnel,” John Christman, executive director of the school, said in the statement. “As a Christian community, Calvary Lutheran High School believes in protecting the well-being of all individuals who are part of our programs and we seek to respond in a caring and sensitive manner to everyone in our school community.”
Jefferson City is about 130 miles west of St. Louis.
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