Recent court documents have shed light on the arrest of an elementary school teacher in Chesterfield County. The incident occurred when a special needs student was discovered in possession of illegal drugs, leading to the teacher’s apprehension.
At Hopkins Elementary School, Mary Horton, 47, was apprehended on Thursday, Aug. 30. A Chesterfield County Police Department officer was called to investigate a report of a suspicious substance, which was later identified as methamphetamine, found in her possession.
Police have charged Horton with felony child neglect and two counts of possession of a Schedule I/II controlled substance on school property, according to authorities.
Additional information regarding the allegations Horton is facing has been revealed in court documents obtained by 8News on Friday, Aug. 31. These documents provide a more detailed account of what transpired when the responding police officer arrived at the school.
The police officer had a conversation with the school safety officer at Hopkins Elementary upon arrival. Court documents reveal that the officer was informed by the school safety officer about the discovery of plastic baggies containing suspected narcotics in the possession of a special needs student.
“The student discovered the drugs in a bag belonging to her teacher, Mary Horton,” the officer wrote. “I opened the small zipper bag that was recovered from Horton’s backpacks and found two baggies and a [cut] straw inside.”
The officer identified the contents of the two baggies as substances that resembled cocaine and methamphetamine, respectively.
Based on court documents, the officer ensured that Horton was informed of her Miranda rights before proceeding to inquire about the incident. According to the officer, Horton initially denied owning the bag.
The officer recounted informing Horton about the discovery of her wallet inside the bag. According to court documents, they allegedly informed her that one of her non-verbal autistic students had accessed the bag, removed the baggies, and potentially come into contact with drugs.
The officer informed Horton that she would undergo a drug test administered by the school board. As per court documents, they proceeded to inquire whether she would yield a positive result for cocaine or methamphetamine, to which she affirmed.
Court documents reveal that the school board’s HR department conducted a drug screening on Horton prior to the officer’s departure from Hopkins Elementary.
Horton is facing two charges of possession of a Schedule I/II controlled substance on school property, according to the Chesterfield County General District Court system.
The system has not yet updated to include the felony child neglect charge at the time of reporting. However, the officer mentioned that they were informed about the intention to pursue such a charge.
