Parent Vows To Kill Joliet Teacher, Makes False Allegations Against Her To DCFS: Prosecutors

JOLIET, IL — A 38-year-old Joliet woman from the 500 block of Abe Street spent three days in the Will County Jail last week after Joliet police arrested her following an investigation at one of the Joliet grade schools. The woman kept making unfounded and unsubstantiated accusations against one of the teachers, accusing them of harming her child, and made explicit threats against the school employee, her arrest reports allege.

According to police spokesman Dwayne English, Diana Rodriguez is charged with two felony counts of cyberstalking and one felony count of harassment via electronic communications. Prosecutors allege that Rodriguez threatened to kill a school staff member and threatened to commit an involuntary sexual act against the school employee.

The incident leading to Rodriguez's detention happened a week ago.

At 9:15 a.m. Nov. 17, Joliet officers responded to Sator Sanchez Elementary School at 1101 Harrison Ave. for a teacher receiving numerous threatening messages through the school’s parent-communication application over the prior weekend.

"It was alleged that Rodriguez had sent numerous messages to a teacher accusing them of harming Rodriguez’s child and included repeated threats of violence," English said.

Rodriguez had previously made similar accusations, and Joliet police found out that those concerns had already been forwarded to DCFS. Officers conducted a welfare check at the child’s home, where the child appeared safe and in good health, according to Joliet police officials.

The following day, Nov. 18, Joliet officers were again called to Sanchez Elementary after Rodriguez was accused of contacting the adult daughter of another teacher through social media, sending additional accusatory and threatening statements, English revealed.

A short time later that same day, officers responded back to Sanchez Elementary after it was reported that Rodriguez came to the school even though she was listed as a respondent in an order of protection. Rodriguez was placed into custody following a brief struggle, according to prosecutors.

She was processed at the Joliet Police Department and taken to the Will County Adult Detention Facility for the violation of an order of protection, English said.

Rodriguez was freed from the Will County Jail on Nov. 20, the jail logs show. She is not charged with a detainable offense under the SAFE-T Act, according to court documents.

Under the terms of her release, Judge Derek Ewanic ordered Rodriguez to have no contact with the victim and to stay away from Sator Sanchez Elementary School until further order of the court.

She is due back in court Dec. 4.

In their request for an order of protection against Rodriguez, the school staffer alleged that the Joliet woman sent threatening texts, including those with expletives, and filed a false report against her with the Department of Children and Family Services.