A beloved Florida middle school teacher who was found dead alongside her boyfriend in a suspected murder-suicide over the weekend had only moved into her Port St. Lucie apartment with her infant daughter three weeks ago.
Amanda Hicks, 26, her boyfriend and her 10-month old daugher, Alani, moved into their unit at Peacock Run Apartments mere weeks before police say she was apparently killed by her partner, who then took his own life.
“You never know what people go through. I feel like I wish I could’ve reached out,” a neighbor told CBS 12 News.
Amanda and her partner weren’t well known in the neighborhood since they had only just moved in, but seemed “very normal,” the neighbor added.
Another resident in the same block said they had heard “a very loud, screechy scream” at some point during the night, accoring to local news site TCPalm.
“We didn’t even get time to even get to know them because everything happened so fast,” the first neighbor said. “My heart is out for the family, though. Hopefully, they find peace in all of this.”
Authorities were initially called to the property Saturday morning at about 11:45 a.m. after a relative of the male resident requested a welfare check, the Port St. Lucie Police Department said.
Police believe the unidentified man killed Hicks before taking his own life. Alani was found unharmed in her crib and has since been placed in the care of a family member.
Hicks was a reading teacher at Dr. David L. Anderson Middle School.
Although neither she nor her partner were formally named by police, school principal Darcia Borel sent out a memo to staff members identifying Hicks as the female victim. The district also confirmed the baby left alone inside the apartment was her daughter.
“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.”
Martin County Schools’ last day before summer break was Friday, but counselors have been made available on campus Tuesday for students and staff who want to talk about the unexpected tragedy.
Police said no additional information is expected to be released regarding the incident.
They do not believe anyone else was involved, and are not seeking other suspects in the case.
