A beloved Florida teacher was found dead beside her boyfriend in a suspected murder-suicide over the weekend after cops arrived at the scene to the sounds of her infant daughter’s cries.
Amanda Hicks, 26, was found dead alongside an adult male on the floor of her home at the Peacock Run apartments on Northwest East Torino Parkway in Port St. Lucie around 11:45 a.m. on Saturday, WPTV reported.
When police arrived at the residence, they could hear a baby crying from inside the locked apartment, the outlet said.
Authorities were initially called to the property after a relative of the male resident requested a welfare check, the Port St. Lucie Police Department said. They believe the deceased man killed Hicks and then took his own life.
Hicks’ daughter was found unharmed in her crib and is currently with a family member.
At the time of her death, Hicks was a teacher at Dr. David L. Anderson Middle School, CBS12 reported.
Though neither she nor her partner have been formally named by police, principal Darcia Borel sent out a memo to staff members identifying her as the female victim.
“The Port St. Lucie Police Department has confirmed that Ms. Hicks was the victim of a homicide,” Borel wrote.
“While words will never be enough to convey the shock and sadness this news has brought to our school family, it is more important than ever to come together to support one another through our grief journey.
“Additional information about memorials and opportunities for supporting Amanda’s beautiful little girl will be forthcoming.”
Though Martin County Schools’ last day was Friday, counselors will be available on campus Tuesday for students who want to talk about the sudden tragedy.
Hicks’ friend Raquel Magallon told WPBF that she always wanted to work with kids.
“She just lit up the room. She had such a big, beautiful smile. She was always happy and always energetic,” Magallon recalled.
“This is like really shocking and really sad… She was just an angel. She was the most happiest person. She definitely brightened my day every time I saw her and I just don’t know what happened with this situation. I know she’s at peace now, but I pray that she didn’t suffer because she definitely doesn’t deserve to go out like that.”
Police said that no further information is expected to be released on the incident. They do not believe anyone else was involved, and are not seeking additional suspects.
