Santa Clarita / Antelope Valley : Trial Ordered in Poisoning of English Teacher

A Littlerock High School student Friday was ordered to stand trial on charges that he poisoned his English teacher by dumping cleaning fluid into her can of Diet Pepsi.

The boy, whose name is being withheld because of his age, is accused of the April 7 poisoning of teacher Susan Ennis, 32, who became violently ill after she took a gulp of soda that had been laced with cleaning fluid.

A probation report presented to Commissioner Antoinette Liewen on Friday during a hearing at Sylmar Juvenile Court recommended that the youth proceed to trial.

The trial was scheduled to begin May 2. Liewen rejected a request by the boy’s attorney, Ronald V. Taylor, to release the boy into his parents’ custody.

The high school sophomore faces a count each of adulterating a beverage and assault with a deadly weapon, both felony offenses. If convicted, he could face five to eight years in custody.

School officials said Friday that it remains unknown when Ennis, reportedly recovering from the incident at home, will return to teach her class. The teacher spent several days in a Palmdale hospital after the incident.