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ST. PETERS, Mo. – Tense moments at a St. Peters alternative school program in the Francis Howell School District after a mother allegedly made a threat against people at the building.

It happened Monday afternoon at the Heritage Landing Alternative Program Center, located just off Route 364.

Marisha Gordon from Pagedale is facing two charges after the incident. Prosecutors have charged Gordon, 34, with one count of making a terrorist threat and one count of making a false bomb report.

Both are felonies.

Court documents say, “Gordon contacted the principal at her son’s school and told him there was a bomb in the school. The principal said Gordon told him she was going to kill the occupants of the school with a bomb that was in the building.”

Matt Deichmann, the chief communications officer for the Francis Howell School District, says the building was evacuated after the call.

“A bomb threat is certainly unnerving under the best of circumstances. The one good thing about Heritage Landing that made it easier in terms of the evacuation and the safety procedures is that it’s a much smaller enrollment,” Deichmann said.

Court documents say there were some 35 people in the building at the time; about 24 were students.

Deichmann says the center is for sixth through 12th graders with emotional and behavioral issues. He says district officials take all threats seriously.

“The safety of our students and staff is always our top priority so building administrators know that the first thing that they have to do is contact law enforcement and evacuate the building. And that’s exactly what the principal here at Heritage Landing Alternative Program did,” he said.

Deichman says it’s unclear why Gordon made the threat.

The court documents say Gordon admitted to calling the principal and that as she grew angrier, she told the principal there was a bomb in the school.

Fortunately, nobody was hurt and no bomb was found.

The students were dismissed for the day after authorities gave school leaders the all clear.

“It was absolutely a scary time whenever you receive a threat like that but the bottom line is that everybody is safe,” Deichmann said.

Gordon could face several years behind bars if she is convicted in this case.

The court documents say Gordon has several prior arrests for allegations including making a terrorist threat, harassing phone calls, and felony assaults.

Gordon is behind bars on a $10,000 cash-only bond.

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