Classes at Okemos elementary canceled for Tuesday following 'incident'

MERIDIAN TWP. — Classes at Cornell Elementary School in the Okemos school district have been canceled for Tuesday after an apparent suicide occurred on school grounds on Monday.

Students were released early Monday afternoon after an "unresponsive individual" was found in the area, school officials said in a letter to parents Monday evening. The school was placed on lockdown, they said.

"Students remained safely in their classrooms through the rest of the school day," the letter said, "Additional measures were taken to ensure that students were safe and supervised at all times."

Adults accompanied students in hallways, and "classroom blinds were drawn and hallway windows covered to limit exposure to this situation," it said.

All Cornell events, including before and after childcare, were canceled for Tuesday. Counselors will be on hand when classes resume on Wednesday to help students who need emotional support, officials said.

"Death can be difficult for us to understand, especially when it occurs close to us," the letter said. "Many of us feel a variety of emotions: shock, sadness, even some confusion. What is important is that we care for and support each other."

Police determined there was no active threat to the public and were investigating the death as a suicide, school officials said in the letter.

In an earlier communication to parents, officials said students would be released at 1:45 p.m. on Monday,

In a two-paragraph news release, Meridian Township police said they were investigating an incident that happened on the school playground. The department didn't elaborate but said there was no threat to the public or anyone at the school.

Police officials declined to release further details about the incident.

A school official did not respond to a message left for him by the State Journal on Monday afternoon.

Anyone with information is asked to call Sgt. Ed Besonen at (517) 853-4800 or email him at besonen@meridian.mi.us. They can also submit an anonymous tip through the department's social media sites.

The body was discovered during third-grade lunch recess, according to the Monday evening letter to parents. Students told staff "there was an individual in an area that should not be present," the letter said. Staff cleared the playground area and brought all students indoors, it said.

After-school and evening programs at the school were canceled for Monday. All other district buildings remained open.

Contact Ken Palmer at kpalmer@lsj.com. Follow him on Twitter @KBPalm_lsj.

This article originally appeared on Lansing State Journal: Classes at Okemos elementary canceled on Tuesday following 'incident'