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Students at a Placentia high school discovered a teacher's body hanging in a classroom today.
Placentia police responded to a report that a teacher was found dead around 8:40 a.m. at El Dorado High School located at 1651 Valencia Avenue, reported ABC7. Placentia Police Dept. Lt. Eric Point told LAist that several students discovered the body when they went to class for their first period.
When authorities arrived at the scene, they found a female teacher not breathing and without a pulse. Orange County Fire Authority and paramedics tried to revive the teacher, but declared her dead at the scene.
"Our investigation indicates that the female teacher's cause of death is suicide," Point said.
Police have not released the name of the teacher as they're looking to first notify her next of kin. Grief counselors are on the campus talking to students, and the students who found the teacher's body have been released to their parents.
UPDATE: 1:55 p.m.: Police have identified the teacher as photography instructor Jillian Jacobson, according to the L.A. Times. Jacobson was also a ceramics and photography teacher at Cal State Fullerton's kids' art summer camp.
UPDATE 11:25 a.m.: El Dorado High School has not identified the teacher either. However, some students and teachers have tweeted out their condolences regarding teacher Jillian Jacobson:
My heart goes out to El Dorado High School 💛 Such a horrible thing to hear. Photo was my favorite class because of her.
— Kiley (@kiley_sullivan) March 2, 2015
RIP Mrs. Jacobson
Jillian Jacobson, my friend, I will miss your beautiful smile. Can't believe you're gone.
— Judy Rehburg (@frynosoma) March 2, 2015
Mrs.Jacobson was the coolest teacher I had in high school, I can't believe this happened... RIP 🙏
— Pastor_Chad (@dante_duke) March 2, 2015
If someone you know exhibits warning signs of suicide: do not leave the person alone, remove any firearms, alcohol, drugs or sharp objects that could be used in a suicide attempt, and call the U.S. National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 800-273-TALK (8255) or take the person to an emergency room or seek help from a medical or mental health professional.
