Mom serves alcoholic Jell-O shots to 5th graders at school party, Texas cops say
National Mom serves alcoholic Jell-O shots to 5th graders at school party, Texas cops say
A parent is accused of bringing Jell-O shots (not the ones pictured) to an elementary school Christmas party, Texas police said.
Getty Images/iStockphoto
A mother of a fifth grader purchased Jell-O shots from a business on Facebook but said she didn't know there was vodka in them, Texas police said.
The shots — decorated with seasoning and whipped cream — were served at an elementary school Christmas party at Jones Elementary and Boshears Center in Tyler, police said. Multiple students consumed the alcoholic Jell-O shots and some got sick, according to court documents filed this month.
The mother was arrested and charged with injury to a child on April 21, according to court records. She was released the same day, jail records show.
Her attorney information was not listed.
'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 Jello to the celebration, which was later found to contain alcohol. Unfortunately, some students consumed the Jello before the situation was discovered. Staff acted immediately to address the situation, informing parents and working with law enforcement,' Tyler Independent School District said in a statement to McClatchy News. 'Since the incident, the parent has not been allowed back on campus and now faces legal consequences. We take this matter very seriously and remain committed to the safety and well-being of our students.'
The event occurred Dec. 20, the last day of school before holiday break, when classes held Christmas parties. The parent brought boxes of Jell-O shots for the children to consume, the arrest affidavit said.
Some teachers found it odd for the parent to serve Jell-O shots, but told the school resource officer that the parent was involved in school events so they trusted she wouldn't serve alcohol, the affidavit said.
But two teachers tasted the Jell-O and thought they tasted of alcohol, police said. They reported this to the class teacher, who also went to taste the Jell-O.
As the teacher approached the table, the parent went up to her and asked her if she thought the shots contained alcohol, police said. The concerns were relayed to the assistant principal.
All but four children in the class were sent to the nurse's office because they had consumed a Jell-O shot, according to the arrest affidavit. One student threw up twice at school and his mother said he 'passed out' when at home, and another told police he felt dizzy, court documents said.
The owner of the business on Facebook said the order form clearly states that the shots contain Smirnoff vodka, police said. The business owner assumed the parent knew the shots contained alcohol, according to police.
The remaining Jell-O shots were collected and sent to a police lab, where they were confirmed to contain alcohol, according to the arrest affidavit.
Tyler is about a 100-mile drive southeast from Dallas.
This story was originally published April 23, 2025 at 1:08 PM.
Kate Linderman
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Kate Linderman covers national news for McClatchy's real-time team. She reports on politics and crime and courts news in the Midwest. Kate is a 2023 graduate of DePaul University and is based in Chicago.
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