DEXTER, Maine — Even though school is closed for the holidays, some staff arrived at Ridge View Community School on Monday to mourn the loss of two students who were killed along with their mother late Saturday at their home in nearby Garland.
Keith Coleman, 27, the mother’s boyfriend, was charged late Sunday with three counts of murder for the deaths of Christina Sargent, 36, her son, Duwayne Coke, 10, and her daughter, Destiny Sargent, 8. The children were enrolled in the third and fourth grades at Ridge View, Superintendent Kevin Jordan said.
“We did have some staff who came through the door today who just wanted to talk,” Jordan said. “We’re actually reaching out by phone, email and text. For the teachers who had these children it’s a little more difficult.”
The prekindergarten to eighth-grade school, which houses 680 students from the region, has experience dealing with domestic violence tragedy. Former teacher Amy Lake and her two children, Monica and Coty, who were students at the school, were killed on June 14, 2011 by her estranged husband, who then turned his gun on himself.
The school is open this week and has grief counselors available to anyone who needs to talk about the loss of the Garland children and their mother.
“The faculty, staff and students extend our heartfelt sympathies to the family involved and all of their friends,” the school department’s website states.
“We set up counseling 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. today at the Ridge View Community School and 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. tomorrow,” Jordan said.
People can also set up an appointment by calling the school at 924-6000, option 1, to connect with Karen Gudroe, the district’s social worker, or principal Paula McHugh.
“If they would rather not call, they can email Paula McHugh at pmchugh@aos94.org and Karen Gudroe at kgudroe@aos94.org,” Jordan said.
Two of the bodies were discovered inside the Garland trailer at 12 Paul Road by a relative who became concerned about the family’s welfare, and deputies from the Penobscot County Sheriff’s Office found the third body after arriving at the scene about 9:50 p.m. Saturday.
State police announced Sunday morning that they were looking for Coleman and the 2006 Dodge Caravan he was driving. He was located Sunday afternoon in Bucksport at a friend’s Central Street apartment, according to Stephen McCausland, Maine Department of Public Safety spokesman.
Coleman and Sargent had lived together in Maine and Minnesota since January 2012, according to Amanda Ellis, 29, who said she had a 3-year-old daughter with Coleman and is a cousin to Sargent.
There have been 19 homicides in Maine this year, and 12 of them have been deemed domestic violence-related, McCausland said. At least five of the victims, two in Garland and three in Saco in July, were children.
Coleman made his first court appearance Monday at the Penobscot Judicial Center, where Superior Court Justice Ann Murray ordered that he be held without bail at the Penobscot County Jail until a bail hearing can be held on Dec. 30. He faces a penalty of 25 years to life, if convicted of murder.
Additional counseling is planned for students and staff when school reopens in January, Jordan said.
“We will also be doing some counseling when we come back, in particular with grades three and four,” the superintendent said. “We’re still working on those plans right now.”
While the students moved in and out of the school district over the years, the youngsters had still become part of the fabric of the school, Jordan said.
“We at the school will miss Duwayne and Destiny very much,” the AOS 94 website states. “They were part of our school family.”
BDN reporter Judy Harrison contributed to this story.
If you or someone you know is experiencing domestic violence and would like to talk with an advocate, call 866-834-4357, TRS 800-787-3224. This free, confidential service is available 24/7 and is accessible from anywhere in Maine.