Devil's Den killings suspect was 'innapropriate' toward children: Mom

(NewsNation) — A mother whose child was taught by the teacher accused of killing a married couple at Devil's Den State Park tells "NewsNation" she is "absolutely shaken."

Lindsay Polyak joined "Banfield" on Friday night to discuss her perspective on Andrew James McGann, who allegedly admitted to killing Clinton David Brink, 43, and Cristen Amanda Brink, 41, as they were hiking with their two young children in Arkansas.

"I was just absolutely shaken that Cristen and Clinton Brink were brutally murdered, allegedly, by the hands of the man that my son was around every day at his elementary school," Polyak said.

She said that while McGann wasn't her son's regular teacher, the alleged murderer was occasionally in the classroom on Fridays.

"It was chilling to realize that he was around someone who could do this," she said.

Clinton Brink is believed to have been stabbed first. Cristen Brink rushed her young daughters to safety and was killed as she returned to help her husband, Arkansas State Police said.

"I saw him at school events, and he looked charismatic," Polyak said of McGann. "He looked like the kids enjoyed being around him, that they flocked to him."

Polyak said there were "red flags," such as her 10-year-old mentioning McGann liked to "play tag at recess, he plays Truth or Dare with the girls.

"And then I start hearing these things like he's giving out candy. He gives candy out in class, but really, it's for the girls."

She said other parents complained about “inappropriate things happening in the classroom” and McGann was put on leave during an investigation. He later resigned from his position. Two years later, McGann is facing two capital murder charges.