Students Return To St. Charles East High School After Twin Classmates Were Killed
CHICAGO (CBS) -- A profoundly sad day at St. Charles East High school as students returned Monday to the classroom for the first time since 16-year-olds Brittany and Tiffany Coffland were killed in a domestic murder suicide on Friday.
"I've been in the profession for 22 years. I've never dealt with anything like this," said Charlie Kyle, Principal.
Dozens of counselors and three comfort dogs were on hand Monday to help students who needed support. Hearts were placed on lockers and a Facebook page encouraged the students to wear purple and blue, the twin's favorite colors. WBBM's Lisa Fielding reports.
"It was sea of purple and blue today. I think every kid had those colors on today. To see the lockers, it gave us comfort on something that was so very uncomfortable," he said.
St. Charles North, Elgin-Larkin, Larkin, Geneva and Batavia high schools also wore the colors to support St. Charles East.
"A lot of different schools really stepped up and obviously understand the pain that we are going through. A lot of schools wore those colors to support us."
Brittany was a cheerleader at St. Charles East and Tiffany worked at a nearby pet store.
Kyle said absences were minimal. He said most of the student body wanted to come to school and talk to each other.
"It felt more like a community today where we all came together. People just needed to see each other."
St. Charles Police were called to a luxury condo 450 S. First on Friday afternoon.
They found the girls, Tiffany and Brittany and their 48-year-old father Randall dead, all three from single gunshot wounds to the head. Anjum Coffland, 46, was listed in stable condition Sunday at Delnor Community Hospital. Police said Randall Coffland shot his estranged wife and daughters before turning the gun on himself.
"This is so inexplicable. Our goal is to help the kids process and deal with a very difficult situation. The twins' were great girls. They will be missed so much," Kyle said.
The school will have counselors on hand all week and there will be a moment of silence on Tuesday, March 14 which would have been the twin's 17th birthday.
