Barricade in Baldwin Park School Approaches 12 Hours

Written by AARON CASTREJON
CityWatch Editor

BALDWIN PARK - Crisis negotiators and Baldwin Park Police officers are attempting to bring a peaceful resolution to a barricade that began early Thursday morning.

Students and staff at Olive Middle School were evacuated and taken to a nearby campus where the students were released to their parents and guardians. Out of an abundance of caution, classes at Olive Middle School are canceled for Friday, May 2.

It is unclear if crisis negotiators or police have maintained contact with the woman barricaded inside the school.

Authorities described the woman as an employee of the school.

CityWatch readers provided this reporter an Instagram account from a woman who identifies herself as Veronica Madere, who is a sixth grade teacher at Olive Middle School.

The woman, appears to be suffering a mental health crisis. She very calmly said in her video:

“They have me hostage here at Olive Middle school and my daughter at Edgewood Middle School … if it really is her. I don’t know. They make copies here. They like to kill children over here. Because they’re assholes and they like to rip out your heart. I’m in Baldwin Park. I don’t even know if that’s my daughter.”

She went on to make multiple other posts throughout the day, including a picture of a resignation letter handwritten to the school district and asked for $20 million to be direct deposited into the accounts of every classified and certificated employee.