Police in Indianapolis, Indiana, have arrested a mother who threatened the life and family of a sixth-grade LGBTQ+ elementary school teacher after the teacher assigned the woman’s daughter a project asking students about different flags, including the rainbow Pride flag. The parent confronted the teacher at school while carrying a gun — something forbidden by law — and later emailed her, calling her “a child predator” and adding, “kiss ur kids goodbye.”

Police charged 48-year-old Carrie Rivers with felony possession of a firearm on school property and misdemeanor harassment via written communication after confronting the teacher inside Valley Mills Elementary School on April 9. Rivers reportedly claimed that the assignment was about “same-sex relationships” and disliked that the teacher was in a relationship with a female police officer. The teacher also had a rainbow flag with the words “Be kind” on it hanging in the classroom.

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She was just “trying to connect with a student,” one of her coworkers said.

Rivers withdrew her daughter from school that day and allegedly came to the school to confront the teacher while carrying a holstered firearm on her waist, though she didn’t brandish it. While the teacher told Rivers that her daughter didn’t need to complete the flags project, the teacher also silently triggered a police alert about an “irate parent,” WTHR reported.

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Police arrived, removed the gun, and informed Rivers that carrying a firearm on school property is a felony; Rivers claimed not to have realized she was carrying a gun and said that she had carried the gun inside of the school before.

Police didn’t arrest Rivers at the time. However, less than 30 minutes after leaving the school, Rivers allegedly emailed the teacher, writing, “god will condemn you to hell not only for your personal beliefs but for the fact that you use your position to mess with the minds of our children,” WXIN reported.

Rivers also reportedly told the teacher that she had “messed with the wrong family” and could see “why [the teacher has] gotten death threats in the past,” adding, “u [sic] never know when god says it’s our time so always be prepared.”

“so please say ur prayers and kiss ur kids goodbye and goodnight u never know when god says its our time so always be prepared,” the error-filled email continued. “your a child predator and your only hope is your b**ch a** wife that is a cop otherwise someone else woulda already delt with u for ur wrongs.”

Rivers also reportedly sent the teacher a friend request on Facebook, writing, “sick, nasty teacher, you should never tell precious innocent kids that it’s okay to be in a same sex relationship.”

The teacher didn’t report to school the next day out of fear for her safety. Rivers’ next court hearing will occur at the end of the month.

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