Jan. 28, 2026, Bellevue, Washington — Bellevue police responded to a medical call at Phantom Lake Elementary School after a staff member appeared to have a seizure, and public records and local scanner audio reviewed by community monitors show the school’s principal made unverified drug-related accusations while speaking with a 911 call taker.
Bellevue Police and Fire were dispatched after a paraeducator at Phantom Lake was reported to have had a seizure, according to a community group that obtained the 911 call recording and the computer-aided dispatch log.
Scanner audio and CAD entries show an officer on scene asked whether the incident should be logged as a VUCSA, a “Violation of the Uniform Controlled Substances Act,” while fire dispatch was contacted to determine whether the call was medical or drug-related.
An ambulance was requested but later canceled, and police notes indicate the staff member declined transport.
The 911 recording and CAD log posted by local social accounts indicate Principal Heather Snookal told the call taker that the staff member had been using cocaine and asked the person if she had consumed drugs that morning while the staff member was in a post-seizure state.
Officer notes from the incident say the reporting party (identified as Snookal) later told police she only had third-hand information from other staff and did not personally know of drug use at the school.
Those statements, as captured in the CAD excerpts and audio shared online, have prompted immediate concern from parents and community members who say the principal’s comments were reckless and potentially damaging to the employee’s reputation.
Principal Allegedly Made Drug Accusations During Staff Medical Emergency
A local social post that shared the recording drew dozens of responses, including calls for district transparency and suggestions that the principal’s conduct be investigated.
Community comments ranged from sympathy for the affected staff member to broader frustration with district leadership.
One individual urged caution, saying if the paraeducator has a medical condition and colleagues imply drug use without proof, the employee could have legal grounds to challenge the accusations.
Snookal remains the listed principal at Phantom Lake Elementary. Her tenure has drawn public attention before.
According to the New York Post, in October 2024, she drew backlash after a painted swastika was found on campus.
The Follow-up communications she sent to families that discussed the symbol’s historical religious meanings alongside its modern associations with hate prompted outrage and led the district to place her on administrative leave pending an investigation.
Online advocacy materials also connect Snookal to a separate, older controversy involving a 2012 school trip; those documents allege failures in supervision and district handling of a family complaint, though they do not reflect criminal convictions.
The CAD entry attributed to the responding officer raises a key contrast: while the principal’s statements to the 911 call taker included allegations of drug use, the officer’s notes indicate the reporting party relied on hearsay from other staff and had no firsthand evidence.
That difference, a public allegation versus a police note that frames the information as secondhand, is at the heart of community concern.
Legal and employment experts say unverified accusations by school leaders can have serious consequences.
Allegations tied to controlled-substance statutes can trigger criminal probes if evidence supports them; at the same time, making public claims about an employee without proof can expose the district to liability and materially harm the employee’s career and reputation.
Several parents and residents who saw the posted CAD excerpts urged the Bellevue School District to explain its reporting and supervisory protocols and to conduct an independent review of the principal’s handling of the call.
Others said the district should clarify what steps, if any, it will take to protect staff privacy and ensure that medical incidents are treated primarily as medical, not speculative, events.
Thankfully, the School confirmed that the “Paramedics and law enforcement arrived quickly and the staff is doing well.”
Just at the time of publication, the Bellevue School District also opened up an investigation at the Elementary School, but has not released a public statement about any personnel action related to the Jan. 28 call.
The CAD entries and the 911 audio posted by community monitors remain the main public records of the incident.
The Director of Schools, Kellea Taylor, said, “We are continuing to investigate the circumstances surrounding the recent medical emergency. We take matters like this very seriously.”
She concluded the message saying that, to protect the privacy of everyone involved, no additional comments are made.
