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Woman dead in apparent murder-suicide was teacher, Martin County School District says

Amanda Hicks, 26, taught at Dr. David L. Anderson Middle School in Stuart
Amanda Hicks, teacher at Dr. David L. Anderson Middle School killed
Posted at 5:24 PM, May 28, 2023
and last updated 2023-05-29 05:35:40-04

PORT ST. LUCIE, Fla. — The woman who died in an apparent murder-suicide in an apartment where a crying infant was found unharmed was a teacher at a middle school in Stuart, the Martin County School District confirmed Sunday.

Amanda Hicks taught at Dr. David L. Anderson Middle School in Stuart.

Amanda Hicks was a teacher at Dr. David L. Anderson Middle School
This is a yearbook photograph of Amanda Hicks, who was a teacher at Dr. David L. Anderson Middle School.

Port St. Lucie police investigators believe the woman was killed by the man, who then took his own life. The agency won't release the names of either person, citing Marsy's Law to protect information about victims of crimes.

Jennifer DeShazo, a spokeswoman for the Martin County School District, told WPTV's Stephanie Susskind that "one of our teachers was the victim" in the incident.

Grief counselors will be at the school Tuesday for any staff members or students who need to talk to someone, DeShazo said. School is out in Martin County but it's a teacher work day and parents who want to bring a student to campus to meet with a counselor can do so as well.
 
Police were called to conduct a welfare check at the Peacock Run apartments in the 5500 block of Northwest East Torino Parkway, west of Florida's Turnpike, at about 11:45 a.m. Saturday, at the behest of a family member of a man at the residence, Lt. Keith Boham said in a news release.

Officers found the home locked, though they could hear an infant inside crying.

Through a rear sliding door, officers saw two adults who appeared dead inside on the floor, Boham said.

Port St Lucie police officers forced their way through the locked front door and took the crying infant from a crib. The girl is now with a family member.

Police didn't reveal how the man and woman were killed.

Boham said investigators were not looking for anyone else who may have been involved.