School mourns loss of 8-year-old student found dead in Saratoga Springs home

SARATOGA SPRINGS, Utah (ABC4) — The Alpine School District is helping students mourn the loss of their 8-year-old classmate, Eli Painter, who went to Riverview Elementary in Saratoga Springs.

Painter was identified as one of the two victims who were found in a Saratoga Springs home on Friday. Police identified the other victim as Jessica Lyman, 44.

Officials determined Painter was “deceased without chance of revival” at the scene, and Lyman was flown to a local hospital in critical condition. As of Sunday, police said Lyman is still in critical condition.

“Personally, I don’t know Eli. I can tell you that, of course, like, you know, we’re deeply involved in the lives of our students,” Alpine School District’s director of student support services Amie Sisam said. “As educators, we spend a good portion of the day with children, sometimes more than what their parents even spend with them.”

Grief counselors are at the elementary school this week. Sisam says parents are reaching out about taking their kids in over the next few days.

“Our focus really is to provide those post-convention supports that help to heal after a traumatic event and help our communities and families and students heal from the loss of one of their classmates,” Sisam said.

Sisam continued: “Just very invested emotionally in our kids, each of them. and they’re all important to us. and so any time a crisis impacts our schools, everyone that works with the child is deeply affected.”

Background

According to a March 30 press release from the Saratoga Springs Police Department, the “identification of possible suspects is on-going” and evidence is still being processed. Officials have said family members and those present in the home have been interviewed or will be interviewed.

Police said the two victims were found in a home on the 1200 block of Willowbrook Lane with apparent gunshot wounds. According to officials, a 17-year-old had just returned home and called 911 after discovering the victims.

Officials were initially called to the home around 10:15 a.m. on March 28 for a “medical assist call.” After officers had responded to the area, the home was sealed off as a crime scene, and several other officials (including detectives, forensic technicians, and the medical examiner) arrived and began investigating and collecting evidence.

Police said the area was “canvassed for witnesses” and checked for surveillance cameras, but the investigation is continuing.