SAN ANTONIO — A local mother claims she was protecting her son from a bully at school, but the Bexar County Sheriff’s Office said her stunt sent the alleged bully to the hospital, and landed her in jail.
According to an arrest warrant, 45-year-old Jennifer Lynn Rossi, devised a plan to get back at her son’s classmate for allegedly bullying her child and stealing his sports drink.
The two students attend the Legacy Traditional School Alamo Ranch on the city's far northwest side.
Police documents said Rossi’s 10-year-old son was upset with another student on Monday, claiming the 11-year-old classmate had stolen a sports drink from him.
That evening when Rossi’s son told her the story, deputies said Rossi told her son that she “had an idea to prank” the classmate who allegedly had stolen her son’s drink.
Investigators said the next day, Rossi gave her son another sports drink and her son took it to school, giving it to the 11-year-old victim during PE class.
The child told deputies he then took a large swig of the drink, and it tasted so bad he tried to spit it out.
That’s when school officials told deputies, the 11-year-old victim started feeling sick and had a headache, so he was rushed to the hospital.
Officials at The Legacy Traditional School said they immediately called the Bexar County Sheriff’s Office to report the incident.
School officials said in a statement that other fifth-grade students also tried the drink, and were checked out by the health office.
According to a BCSO report, Rossi told school officials she had spiked the drink with a mixture of lemon, salt, and vinegar, claiming she was a nurse, and the concoction wasn’t harmful.
Investigators report Rossi told deputies that she took full responsibility for the incident.
Rossi was arrested Tuesday and charged with Injury to a Child. She has since posted bond and has a pre-trial hearing in April.
School officials said Rossi’s son was disciplined at school.
The 11-year-old victim is home from the hospital and doing well, according to school leaders.