East Texas Mother Charged After Students Fall Ill From Alcohol-Infused Jell-O Shots

A Texas mother, Teresa Isabel Bernal, was arrested after bringing alcoholic Jell-O shots to her daughter's fifth-grade Christmas party at Jones Elementary in Tyler, Texas, resulting in several children falling ill. Nearly all of the fifteen students who consumed the treats reported symptoms such as headaches, stomach aches, vomiting, dizziness, and one child reportedly passed out. Bernal claimed she was unaware the Jell-O contained alcohol until after the children began eating them, but an investigation revealed she purchased the shots from a business that advertised them as containing Smirnoff vodka. Teachers noted Bernal was a trusted parent, though they found it unusual for her to bring Jell-O shots to a school event. Lab tests later confirmed the presence of ethanol in the Jell-O. Bernal was charged with reckless bodily injury to a child, posted a $75,000 bond, and was released the same day.