Chesterfield teacher charged with child neglect, possessing meth at elementary school

CHESTERFIELD COUNTY, Va. (WRIC) — A Chesterfield County elementary school teacher was charged with felony child neglect and possession of a controlled substance on school property on Thursday.

Officers with the Chesterfield County Police Department responded to Hopkins Elementary School on Thursday, Aug. 29, for report of a teacher found in possession of “what appeared to be methamphetamine.”

According to police, following an investigation, 47-year-old Mary Horton of Chesterfield was arrested and charged with felony child neglect and two counts of possession of a Schedule I/II controlled substance on school property.

Horton is being held on a $22,000 secured bond. She is set to appear at the Chesterfield County General District Court for preliminary proceedings at 11 a.m. on Friday, Aug. 30.

Dr. Lisa Hill, Principal of Hopkins Elementary School, sent the following statement to parents and staff on Thursday:

“Good afternoon, families and staff: I am writing to share with you information about something that happened today at school. This afternoon inside our school, a student found a bag containing unknown substances. As soon as our administrative team was made aware, Chesterfield Police became involved. During the investigation, the police determined that the substances are illegal drugs. Only one student was involved and the student’s family was notified immediately. As always, student safety is a top priority, and we are all partners in maintaining a safe learning environment. We ask that everyone be involved and aware. If you see something, say something. If you know something, make sure someone at school knows it too. Thank you for your continued support, which means a great deal to me and our entire school. After all, excellence is our common goal.”

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