Louisiana Teacher Accused of Assisting Fugitive Student’s Escape to Texas, Raises Troubling Questions

Angela Filardo, a middle school teacher from New Orleans, is facing serious allegations following her reported involvement in aiding Lynell Reynolds, a former student and juvenile fugitive, to escape to Texas.

FOX 8 reports that Filardo has been charged with a felony count of accessory to an escape. This follows after Reynolds broke out of a group home in Lake Charles, Louisiana. Interestingly, Filardo was Reynolds’ teacher during his 5th through 8th grades. Reynolds, who had previously been found guilty of a 2019 armed robbery in New Orleans East, during which he shot a man, leaving him paralyzed, was recaptured near San Antonio, Texas on Monday.

The victim's grandmother, Dorothy White, has claimed that Filardo has been aiding Reynolds "since day one.” White further expressed her belief that there might be more people who assisted Reynolds during his escape.

Investigations have brought to light that Filardo apparently drove Reynolds to Texas. Phone records also reveal nearly "100 contacts" between the two since Reynolds’ escape, making Filardo's number the most contacted in Reynolds’ phone since September 22, 2023. This was twice the number of contacts with the second most dialed number on Reynolds’ device.

In a twist, Filardo reached out to FOX 8 on September 24, 2023, expressing her concerns over their coverage of Reynolds' crimes. She described the media portrayal as "damaging."

Public reactions on social media have been diverse, ranging from outright condemnation of both Filardo and Reynolds to more nuanced views suggesting there may be more to the story.

The Walter Cohen High campus, where Filardo was employed, confirmed that she's now on administrative leave and banned from interacting with Cohen students or staff until the investigation concludes.

Dorothy White, the victim's grandmother, recalls Filardo attending juvenile court appearances to support Reynolds. Reynolds was previously sentenced to "juvenile life" but was later transferred to an unsecured group home, a decision that White and others had contested.

As we await further investigation and legal procedures, see the latest confirmed details here via FOX 8.