Chesterfield special needs student found with drugs allegedly belonging to elementary teacher

CHESTERFIELD COUNTY, Va. (WRIC) — 8News has obtained court documents that reveal new details on the arrest of a Chesterfield County elementary school teacher on Thursday after a special needs student was allegedly found with her illegal drugs.

On Thursday, Aug. 30, 47-year-old Mary Horton was arrested at Hopkins Elementary School after an officer with the Chesterfield County Police Department responded to a report of “what appeared to be methamphetamine” in her possession .

According to police, Horton was charged with felony child neglect and two counts of possession of a Schedule I/II controlled substance on school property.

Court documents obtained by 8News on Friday, Aug. 31, go into further detail on the allegations Horton faces, including the responding police officer’s report on what happened when they arrived at the school.

The police officer reported speaking with the school safety officer at Hopkins Elementary upon arrival. According to court documents, the officer was told by the school safety officer that “plastic baggies with suspected narcotics inside” were found with 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 described the two baggies’ contents as substances consistent with cocaine and methamphetamine, respectively.

According to court documents, the officer gave Horton her Miranda rights, then questioned her about what happened. The officer said that Horton denied owning the bag at first.

The officer described telling Horton that her wallet had been found in the bag. They also reportedly told her that “one of her non-verbal autistic students had opened the bag, removed the baggies and possibly been exposed to drugs,” according to court documents.

The officer said they told Horton she would be drug tested by the school board. According to court documents, they then asked her if she would test positive for cocaine or methamphetamine and she said that she would.

According to court documents, school board HR took Horton for a drug screening before the officer left Hopkins Elementary.

At this time, the Chesterfield County General District Court system reflects two charges of possession of a Schedule I/II controlled substance on school property have been filed against Horton.

The felony child neglect charge is not yet reflected in the system as of the time of reporting, but the officer wrote that they were advised that such a charge would be sought.

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