Principal at Memphis private school was fatally stabbed, student in custody, say police

(CBS/WREG) Memphis, Tenn. - A 48-year-old woman found dead in a Memphis private school classroom Wednesday was the principal, police say.

Police said the body was found around 11 a.m. at the Seventh-day Adventist's Memphis Junior Academy. The victim was pronounced dead at the scene and a 17-year-old student was reportedly taken into custody.

Marvin Lowman, the executive secretary with the Kentucky-Tennessee conference of the Seventh-day Adventist Church, identified the victim as Suzette York. She had been the principal at the school since 2008.

An administrator at the school told CBS affiliate WREG, "We have lost a great teacher and valuable member of our school."

After the body was found, classes were dismissed for the day, and will be out for the rest of the week. 

On its website, Memphis Junior Academy is described as a Seventh-day Adventist school offering education to students from Pre-K4 through 11th grade.