California teacher appears to have hanged herself in her classroom

Students were among the first to see the body of their teacher

Jillian Jacobson, a 31-year-old photography teacher in Southern California, apparently committed suicide on Monday by hanging herself in her classroom at El Dorado High School in Placentia, California.

Students were lined up outside Ms Jacobson’s classroom waiting to be let inside and another faculty member let them into class, where they found her body, CNN reported. They took her body down and called paramedics at about 8:40 am on Monday, but she was pronounced dead at the scene.

Police said they have no suspicion of foul play and all signs point to a suicide.

School administrators gathered all students into the school gymnasium around 11 am Monday and informed them of Ms Jacobson’s death, before dismissing them for the rest of the day, CBS Los Angeles reported.

Grief counsellors are expected to be on campus the remainder of the week to offer their services to students and staff at the school.

If you're in crisis or contemplating suicide, please contact The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-8255.

Follow Payton Guion on Twitter @PaytonGuion.