Parents, Student Arrested On School Drug Charges; Classmates Hospitalized
Story posted 2008.10.22 at 05:26 PM EDTA 16-year-old South Forsyth County High School student faces felony drug charges after authorities said she brought liquid methadone to school and sold it.Investigator said the drug, commonly used as a treatment for heroin addiction, made its way into the hands of two other students after it was resold, causing all three student buyers to become ill.Authorities said one of the students went into cardiac arrest and had to be shocked with a defibrillator on campus."This is probably one of the most serious incidents that has occurred on our campus," said Forsyth County schools spokeswoman Jennifer Caracciolo."All three were transported to the hospital. A couple spent several days and were released," said Capt. Frank Huggins with the Forsyth County Sheriff's Office.Authorities arrested the student, a junior at South Forsyth High, and her parents, Deborah Pendleton, 45, and Oscar Carter III, 65. They too face felony drug charges, said authorities, following the Oct. 3 incident.Authorities said Carter owns a methadone clinic in Louisiana, but failed to register or properly store the drug when he came to Georgia following a recent hurricane.Authorities said the incident could have been worse."The consequences occurred on campus which allowed us to have medical responders there immediately, but if it happened off campus, we don't know what would have happened to their lives," Caracciolo said.Authorities said all the male students who took the drug face one or more felony counts of drug possession. School officials said the students may be suspended or expelled from the district."I don't think she knew how serious it was. She's 16-year-old…she should have known, her parents should have had better control of the situation. It's very serious…she could have killed three boys," said Huggins.Story posted 2008.10.22 at 05:26 PM EDT
