An employee of the Department for Children and Families was shot twice and killed in Barre on Friday afternoon, allegedly by a mother who had recently lost custody of her child, police say.
Lara Sobel was shot shortly before 5 p.m. Friday afternoon as she left work at Barre City Place, where DCF has offices, police said.
Police arrested Jody Herring in connection with the shooting. Herring reportedly lost custody of her 9-year-old child in July. She is scheduled to be arraigned Monday in Barre.
According to the Burlington Free Press, three more people found dead in a Berlin home Saturday are related to Jody Herring.
“The employees at DCF deal with the most challenging family situations that one can imagine,” Gov. Peter Shumlin said in a statement Friday. “They do the work out of their dedication to the children and families of this great state. To lose one of our own in the course of that duty is shocking and heartbreaking.”
The governor has directed that Agency of Administration to review security procedures in state office buildings. Grief counseling services will be available to state employees, according to the statement.
Lt. Gov. Phil Scott, who is serving as acting governor this week, mourned Sobel’s death in a statement issued Friday.
“Today, her life was stolen – not only from her – but from her children, her spouse, her family, her friends, her coworkers, as well as the countless children and families she helped and had yet to help,” Scott said. “While we mourn and wait patiently for answers, we should feel fortunate to have such dedicated public servants as Lara in Vermont, and we must continue to strive to protect those who give so much to protect others.”
Eilis O’Herlihy, executive director of the Vermont chapter of the National Association of Social Workers celebrated the work of DCF employees in a statement.
“Every day, these workers do their best to navigate sometimes-impossible challenges in an environment of scarce resources,” O’Herlihy said. “This work helps ensure the safety and wellbeing of communities throughout Vermont.”
O’Herlihy went on to express the group’s solidarity with social workers across Vermont and the country.
“While we know that incidents such as these have been known to occur to child protection workers across the country, it is impossible to prepare for or fathom the devastation that a crime such as this causes,” O’Herlihy said.
VSEA President Shelley Martin said in a statement that the administration had been in contact with the union and that support services will be coordinated for state employees.
“Our prayers and thoughts tonight and in the coming days are with all the employees in Barre, their families and especially the family, friends and co-worker of the employee killed,” Martin said.
Sobel lived in East Montpelier with her husband Timothy Faryniarz and their daughters Julia and Alana.
A candlelight vigil will be held Sunday at 7 p.m. at the Woodbury Lake boat launch on Route 14.
