Sarah Scheffer: Missouri teacher charged with attempted murder after allegedly poisoning husband
Warning: This article contains a recollection of crime and can be triggering to some, readers’ discretion advised.
MISSOURI, UNITED STATES: Court documents reveal that the 37-year-old Missouri teacher was caught in the act of routinely poisoning her husband, as captured on surveillance footage.
On Wednesday, Sarah Scheffer was charged with first-degree attempted murder and armed criminal action, according to a felony complaint filed in Cole County Circuit Court.
The investigation also brought to light additional health issues faced by Scheffer's husband, as reported in a probable cause statement from the Jefferson City Police Department as per Fox News.
Sarah Scheffer's husband reports to the police regarding his health condition
According to the Jefferson City Police Department, Scheffer's husband reported experiencing severe fatigue, confusion, blurred vision, severe cotton mouth, and nausea after consuming food or drink.
The husband confronted Scheffer on January 1, revealing that a drink she had given him tasted bitter. Scheffer purportedly confessed to urinating in the beverage, then claimed to have spiked it with an industrial-strength adhesive.
However, she later denied tampering with the drink. Following this incident, the husband reportedly installed a security camera in their kitchen.
On Tuesday morning, he discovered a bowl labeled "lily of the field" on Scheffer's desk. Surveillance footage from later that day allegedly showed Scheffer adding the contents of the bowl to a blender as she prepared a smoothie.
When the husband presented the video to the police, Scheffer supposedly admitted to putting lily of the valley—a poisonous flower containing cardiac glycosides that can significantly affect heart rate—into her husband's beverage.
Sarah Scheffer admits to harming her husband
According to the probable cause statement, Scheffer confessed to adding a lily of the valley root with the knowledge that it could cause harm and potentially lead to death.
The statement reads,"[Scheffer] admitted doing this with the intent to cause the victim harm... admitted to knowing that ingesting 'lily of the valley' could result in death... [and] admitted knowing the act was illegal."
The Jefferson City Police Department reportedly sent the blender's contents for testing.
Calvary Lutheran High School, where Scheffer serves as an art and design teacher, stated that she had been placed on leave following her arrest.
The school's executive director explained, "This afternoon, Calvary Lutheran High School was notified by JCPD of a criminal matter pertaining to an employee."
The director clarified that the alleged misconduct occurred outside the employee's association with the school and did not involve students or other school personnel.
Emphasizing their commitment to the well-being of everyone in the school community, the director stated, "As a Christian community, Calvary Lutheran High School believes in protecting the well-being of all individuals who are part of our programs and we seek to respond in a caring and sensitive manner to everyone in our school community."
Scheffer has been remanded to Cole County Jail without bond, and her court date is pending scheduling by the Cole County Circuit Court. It remains unclear whether she has retained legal representation.
