**Indiana High School Teacher Charged After Students Accidentally Consume THC Gummies**
An Indiana high school teacher is facing charges after two of her students mistakenly consumed THC gummies, thinking they were regular candy, according to local authorities.
The Steuben County Sheriff’s Office began investigating the incident on Friday morning after the resource deputy at Angola High School learned that two students had ingested the THC-laced gummies during the last class period on Thursday.
According to a Facebook post from the sheriff’s office, “The preliminary investigation indicated that the two students involved were in class at the time of the incident and were unaware that the candy they ate contained THC. The candy was reportedly located inside the classroom out in the open.”
Further investigation revealed that 49-year-old Debra McGillem, a language arts teacher at Angola High School, brought the gummies into the classroom. The school’s district website confirms McGillem’s employment, and records indicate she resides in Reading, Michigan—about 25 miles northeast of the school.
Authorities report that McGillem was taken into custody. Deputies say they found more suspected THC gummies on her person, and determined she was allegedly under the influence and operating a vehicle while impaired.
McGillem now faces multiple charges: neglect of a dependent and possession of a controlled substance on school property, both level 6 felonies, along with a misdemeanor charge for operating a vehicle while intoxicated. Authorities have also notified the Indiana Department of Child Services about the situation.
The teacher was booked into the Steuben County Sheriff’s Office on a $6,500 bond and remained in jail as of Saturday morning.
Matthew L. Widenhoefer, superintendent of the Metropolitan School District of Steuben County (MSDSC), addressed the situation in a statement to parents. “The school district is aware that an MSDSC staff member has been booked into the Steuben County Jail. The district has initiated an internal investigation, and appropriate disciplinary action will be taken in accordance with district policy and applicable law,” Widenhoefer wrote in a Facebook post.
The investigation is ongoing as authorities and the school district work to address the incident and ensure student safety.
https://lawandcrime.com/crime/teacher-left-thc-gummies-out-in-the-open-inside-her-classroom-and-students-scarfed-them-down-thinking-they-were-candy-cops/