Boy Held in Attempt to Poison Teacher

A 15-year-old boy was in custody Monday after allegedly attempting to poison his teacher’s cup of tea--the second incident of this sort within a month--authorities said.

The youngster, who lives in Perris, was arrested Thursday after he was seen spraying a blackboard erasing solution into the tea. The teacher, Dean Hudson, was alerted by another student before he drank the tea, said Riverside Police Department spokesman Steve Johnson.

The incident occurred at Somerset School, a private school that serves children who are emotionally disturbed and handicapped in learning, Johnson said.

The student “said he sprayed the solution into the drink because he was upset and felt the grades he was receiving from the teacher were unfair,” Johnson said.

The boy was held at Riverside County Juvenile Hall pending a detention hearing June 17.

The colorless liquid can affect the central nervous system and kidneys and can be fatal, authorities said.

In San Bernardino, two sixth-grade girls face charges of attempted murder after their teacher’s drink was tainted with rat poison May 14. Another student alerted the teacher before she took a drink. One of two boys charged as accessories for hiding the box of poison afterward pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor charge last week, and the other three students are awaiting trial.