Sometimes, real life truly is stranger than fiction. This is especially the case wherever children and safety issues come together. One of these stories really happened. The other two were we pulled out of our overactive imagination. Can you tell which ones real?

A) Teacher arrested in plot to kill third-grader

B) Third-graders arrested in plot to kill teacher

C) Teacher attempts to hire sixth-grader as hit-man to kill her husband

While you’re contemplating the correct answer, consider this very real safety fact: Between 1976 and 2005, 65 kids ages 7 and 8 were arrested for murder.

Answer:

Police in South Georgia arrested nine 3rd graders in an apparent plot to assassinate their teacher. The plan was to knock her unconscious, bind her with handcuffs and duct tape, then stab her to death. Officials say they had even gone so far as to assign each other specific tasks, such as who would hold her down and who was in charge of cleaning up the blood. The police described it as an “elaborate” plan hatched by 3 ringleaders amongst the bunch.

Their plot was foiled when another student tipped off school staff about a weapon in one child’s backpack. School officials investigated and found handcuffs, duct tape, a paperweight (presumably to hit her over the head with), and a broken steak knife, consistent with the alleged plot. The 9 students were suspended, and 3 ringleaders (2 girls and a boy) were criminally charged. Yet seeing as how they live in a small town with few school options, all will likely return to the same school, and maybe even the same class. Won’t that be awkward.

Source: Fox News, 4-1-08; TCF Article

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