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Brothers kept on paid leave

This story originally appeared August 30, 2003

By CHARLES ADAMSON, Californian staff writer
e-mail: cadamson@bakersfield.com | Thursday, Feb 15 2007 4:07 PM

Last Updated: Thursday, Feb 15 2007 4:07 PM

Fremont School Vice Principal Vincent Brothers won't be coming back to work next week, officials with the Bakersfield City School District announced Friday.

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Bakersfield police have identified Brothers as the lone suspect in the deaths of his family members. Brothers' wife, three children and mother-in-law were found shot to death in their central Bakersfield home July 8.

He was on paid leave this month by mutual agreement with the school district. On Friday, a letter was sent home with Fremont School students that said Brothers' paid leave had been extended indefinitely.

District spokesman Aaron Hunt confirmed the decision had been made to extend his 30-day leave, which was set to expire next week.

Several parents and children told The Californian on the first day of school on Monday that Brothers shouldn't come back unless he's exonerated and that children would be afraid of him. But most said they missed the friendly vice principal, who would greet parents every day after school and was known for being a tough disciplinarian.

Glennett Britton, a grandmother of a Fremont first-grader, said Friday she would have no problem with Brothers returning to work, but understood if he needed time off to grieve his family and because of the public scrutiny.

"It's a tragedy. They don't know who done it. But he's held responsible for it until they find who did," Britton said. "I don't think he would hurt no child.

"Everybody's looking at him and that's going to be a struggle for him," Britton said.

Police haven't commented on the case since Aug. 1. Brothers has turned down several requests for interviews from The Californian.

Donald Collier, of Elizabeth City, N.C., grew up with Brothers in a poor part of Long Island, N.Y. and talks to Brothers weekly by phone.

He said Brothers was distraught after the slayings, but seems to be handling the public scrutiny well.

"He's hanging in there. When we talk, I don't talk about the incident with his family. We maybe talk about old times, old friends, just to keep his mind elsewhere," Collier said. "It just seems like it's all eyes on him, and they're not looking at any other suspects."