19-year-old substitute teacher arrested, accused of threatening Virginia high school

A Loudoun County substitute teacher is in custody after being accused of making threats against John Champe High School in Aldie, Virginia.

The Loudoun County Sheriff’s Office on Wednesday said it arrested Hadyn Dollery, 19, of Chantilly, away from school grounds on Monday after being tipped off by the Safe2Talk app.

The app lets people anonymously report any safety concerns they may have about a county school.

The suspect is accused of threatening to commit violence at the school, though the sheriff’s office did not specify the nature of the threats.

The sheriff’s office told Washington’s WJLA-TV reporter Nick Minock that the suspect is a biological man and is listed at the Loudoun County Adult Detention Center as male but identifies as a woman.

Hadyn Dollery is being held without bond, the sheriff’s office said.

A Loudoun County Public Schools spokesperson told D.C.’s WUSA that the suspect worked as a nonlicensed substitute teacher during the 2025-26 school year but was no longer listed as one of the system’s substitutes, adding that the system “takes all threats seriously, as the safety of students, staff and visitors is our highest priority.”

The spokesperson explained that to be eligible as a nonlicensed substitute, a person must be 18 years or older with a high school diploma or an equivalent credential accepted by the Virginia Department of Education.

The school system is not accepting new nonlicensed substitutes, according to the Loudoun County Public Schools website.