A beloved teacher from Baltimore was tragically found deceased within the confines of her elementary school, leaving her community in mourning and disbelief.

“It is with great sorrow that I announce the heartbreaking loss of our colleague, Ms. Deborah Tolson,” shared Arundel Elementary School Principal Kerry-Ann Malcolm in a heartfelt letter posted on the district’s website on March 9. “Ms. Tolson, who dedicated herself to our school as a Math Interventionist, passed away over the weekend within our school premises.”

Malcolm further mentioned, “We are in the process of gathering more information and will provide updates as they become available.”

A representative from the Baltimore Police Department informed Oxygen that there were no indications of trauma or foul play found during the investigation.

“The deceased’s body has been sent to the Medical Examiner’s Office to ascertain the cause of death,” the spokesperson stated. “Given the ongoing investigation, no further details can be released at this moment.”

The Office of the Chief Medical Examiner in Baltimore clarified to Oxygen that Tolson’s death was natural, attributing the cause to an intracerebral hemorrhage.

According to Cleveland Clinic, intracerebral hemorrhage is a type of stroke that causes brain bleeding. 

Tolson worked at the school for seven years and in the district for 23 years, Malcolm wrote in the letter, calling the educator “very beloved” by students and staff and “a pillar” of her community. 

Classes were canceled for the remainder of the day, wrote Malcolm, and the district crisis team was poised to support the school community. 

“Please expect our students to be affected in some way with this news,” wrote Malcolm. “I encourage you to talk about what happened and to allow your child to discuss her or his feelings and thoughts.”