Update: Tree planted at school to honor constable found

11:20 a.m. Update: El Paso Independent School District officials say the tree planted in honor of Constable Robert White was not stolen but taken by a teacher because the tree was dying and the teacher wanted to help. The teacher did not inform anyone at the school before taking the tree.

Original Story: El Paso County constables and the El Paso Independent School District are looking into who may have stolen a tree planted in front of Putnam Elementary in west El Paso.

On Sunday afternoon, a resident who lives across Putnam called ABC-7 and reported seeing three people taking the tree.

Putnam Elementary is located at 6508 Fiesta Drive.

An ABC-7 photographer went to the school Monday morning to record video of the missing tree. School principal, Cynthia Sanchez, arrived moments later and was surprised to see the tree was missing.

She said authorities would be notified, and shortly after, a constable arrived at Putnam Elementary.

The red oak tree was planted in March to honor Constable Robert White, who was killed while working a security detail at a haunted house last year.

Constable White was also a physical education coach at Putnam for 17 years.

In October, White was allegedly punched by a Fort Bliss soldier, Devon Huerta-Person, while he was working security at a haunted house in Canutillo.

White fell to the ground and hit his head on the ground. An autopsy report stated White had hypertension, which also played a role in his death.

Huerta-Person awaits trial on a capital murder charge.

When the tree was planted in March, school officials said it was to honor White’s contributions to the healthy development of the children in the west El Paso neighborhood.

ABC-7 notified EPISD of the missing tree. The district will hold a news conference Monday morning at 10am.