Crime
18-year-old Esmeralda Vargas accused of threatening to ‘shoot-up’ North Elementary School in Des Plaines
The post also reportedly referenced admiration for the Uvalde school shooter, which raised significant alarm.
Des Plaines, IL – An 18-year-old woman from Des Plaines is facing felony charges after allegedly posting a TikTok video threatening a shooting at her former elementary school.
Esmeralda Vargas was charged with disorderly conduct after authorities were alerted to the threat by the SS-ARS Crisis Center, an organization that tracks tips regarding potential school shooters.
According to police, Vargas posted a TikTok video on September 9 in which she threatened to “shoot up” North Elementary School, the school she once attended.
The post also reportedly referenced admiration for the Uvalde school shooter, which raised significant alarm.
Detectives swiftly acted on the tip, contacting TikTok to trace the origin of the video. With information provided by the platform, authorities located Vargas at her residence in the 1400 block of East Willow Avenue.
Law enforcement officers, with the cooperation of Vargas’ parents, conducted a search of the home.
No firearms were found during the search, but Vargas was subsequently banned from all District 62 properties.
A search warrant served to TikTok yielded further evidence corroborating the threat and its contents.
The investigation revealed the explicit mention of North Elementary School in the threat.
Vargas voluntarily turned herself in to police on Monday. She was officially charged with disorderly conduct, a felony under Illinois law.
The incident underscores the seriousness with which authorities address potential threats to schools.
The Des Plaines Police Department thanked the SS-ARS Crisis Center and TikTok for their cooperation in resolving the matter swiftly.
School officials have reiterated their commitment to ensuring the safety of students and staff, emphasizing the importance of reporting any suspicious activity or threats. The investigation remains ongoing.
FAYETTE COUNTY, AL – Authorities have confirmed that human remains found in a burn pile at a rural Alabama home belong to 1-year-old Kahleb Collins, a toddler who had been missing since a fatal crash last year claimed the lives of his father and 2-year-old sister.
The confirmation was announced Thursday by Fayette County Sheriff Byron Yerby, marking a devastating development in a case that has gripped the community for months.
Kahleb had been unaccounted for since December 8, 2024, when a high-speed crash on County Road 73 near Glen Allen killed his father, 40-year-old Steven “Brad” Collins, and his sister, Ryleigh Collins, and critically injured his mother, 23-year-old Wendy “Pam” Bailey.
While initially believed to have possibly perished in the crash, Kahleb’s body was not found at the scene, prompting a months-long missing persons investigation.
Sheriff Yerby said investigators, aided by an anthropologist, recovered what appeared to be human remains during one of several searches at the family’s property in the Winfield area.
The sheriff did not specify when the remains were recovered, but stated that forensic testing had since confirmed them as those of Kahleb.
“This is a heartbreaking outcome, and our thoughts and prayers are with all those who loved Kahleb,” Yerby said. “While this discovery brings some closure, it also serves as a solemn reminder of the collective responsibility we all share in protecting our children. We remain fully committed to pursuing justice in this case.”
On April 15, 2025, a Fayette County grand jury issued indictments against Pam Bailey and her father, 55-year-old John Elton Bailey, in connection with Kahleb’s death and prior abuse allegations.
Pam Bailey has been charged with:
- Aggravated child abuse
- Four counts of first-degree domestic violence
- Abuse of a corpse
- Criminally negligent homicide (a misdemeanor, related to Ryleigh Collins’ death in the crash)
John Elton Bailey faces the following charges:
- Aggravated child abuse
- Four counts of first-degree domestic violence
- Abuse of a corpse
- Hindering prosecution
Both defendants resided at the family home and are accused of participating in or covering up the abuse and death of Kahleb.
The investigation began after the December 8 crash, in which Steven Collins was reportedly driving 92 mph—more than double the posted speed limit of 45 mph—when his truck lost control on a wet roadway. He and Pam Bailey were both ejected from the vehicle due to not wearing seatbelts. Their daughter, Ryleigh, was unrestrained in the back seat and pronounced dead at the scene.
Pam Bailey was airlifted to UAB Hospital, where authorities conducted multiple interviews. It was only days after the crash that law enforcement publicly revealed that Kahleb had been missing and launched a broader investigation. The Alabama Law Enforcement Agency (ALEA) issued a missing child alert on December 9.
The case took a darker turn when court records revealed disturbing allegations of ongoing abuse. The Alabama Department of Human Resources (DHR) had previously been involved with the family. Court filings indicate that Pam Bailey received text messages from Steven Collins in which he threatened to kill Kahleb and sent photos appearing to show the child bloodied, bruised, and bound.
One message allegedly read, “He won’t move. I’m so sorry.” This was followed by another: “He moving.” Bailey reportedly responded, “He just looks wore out and tired and hurt hopefully that’s all.”
The indictment against Pam Bailey also accuses her of physically abusing Kahleb, including striking him and tying him to a chair.
Both Pam Bailey and John Elton Bailey remain in custody. Authorities have not disclosed Kahleb’s exact cause of death, citing the ongoing nature of the investigation.
Anyone with information related to this case is urged to contact the Fayette County Sheriff’s Office.