1st grade teacher left school to go to the liquor store, crashed car when she got back, then refused to leave classroom bathroom where she was found drunk: Police

Pleasant Valley Elementary School in McMurray, Pa. (Peters Township School District).

A Pennsylvania woman who works as a teacher at an elementary school was allegedly drunk while on the job and left her students unattended.

Katharine Viviano, 50, was charged with public drunkenness and similar misconduct after police said she was found drunk in the bathroom of her first grade classroom at Pleasant Valley Elementary School in McMurray, Pennsylvania. According to reporting by local ABC affiliate WTAE, Viviano was found by another teacher and was allegedly slurring her words, glassy-eyed and smelling of alcohol. She also allegedly refused to leave the bathroom and was barely able to walk.

Police who investigated the incident, which happened on Oct. 8, said Viviano left the school earlier that day and was seen on video from a liquor store surveillance camera.

Local CBS affiliate KDKA reported that after a semiconscious Viviano was found by the teacher, other staff members came to the classroom including a school resource officer, the principal, a school nurse and a police social services coordinator. The first graders were reportedly moved by other adults to the playground during the alleged incident.

After being coaxed out of the bathroom, Viviano reportedly admitted to drinking vodka earlier in the day.

Investigators said Viviano left the school just before 11 a.m. and drove to a Fine Wine and Good Spirits, where she was seen on camera buying alcohol. When she returned to the school, she allegedly backed into another car while trying to park.

In a statement obtained by WTAE, Peters Township School District said it initially believed Viviano was having a medical episode, but acknowledged that one of its teachers had been charged with "public drunkenness."

The school said in the statement, "We understand that this information will be concerning to families, but please know that the safety and well-being of our students remains our highest priority. Because this situation involves both a personnel matter and an ongoing police investigation, we are unable to share additional details. Our focus remains on supporting the students impacted by this incident and ensuring a safe, stable, and positive learning environment for the remainder of the school year."

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Viviano's name still appeared on the school's site on Wednesday.

It was not clear if Viviano was taken into custody or booked into jail. Her next court date was not publicly available.