An Indiana middle school teacher was arrested last week after two students allegedly found a methamphetamine stash inside her hair scrunchie.
She has been charged with one count of possession of methamphetamine and one count of possession of drug paraphernalia, reported Law&Crime citing a court document.
The students found out that their teacher – identified as Sarah Hayne Duncan – allegedly stashed drugs inside a hidden compartment in her hair tie during a “family fun night” event hosted at Evansville’s Helfrich Park Stem Academy on 12 September, reported NBC affiliate WFIE.
The 35-year-old teacher let her hair down while posing for a picture with students at a photo booth, which was when they allegedly found the stash.
“After the photo, the juveniles cleaned up the area and located a bluish colored velvet-type scrunchie with a white zipper on the table,” said Evansville Police Department officers, reported Fox News.
“They noticed the scrunchie was heavier than a typical scrunchie, they opened the zipper pouch and observed a glass vial that contained a white powder substance that the two believed to be drugs along with a cut straw with white powder."
The students subsequently informed another teacher, while two janitors told the principal that they saw the teacher “frantically searching for some kind of hair tie”, reported WFIE.
Police on securing the scrunchie conducted a test and confirmed it to be methamphetamine. The video footage from the school showed Ms Duncan to be wearing the same hair tie during the event, reported Fox News. However, the teacher claimed to be wearing a similar scrunchie but not the one recovered by the police.
The affidavit submitted to the court stated that two days after the incident Ms Duncan was taken in for drug test where she allegedly attempted to falsify the outcome.
“While conducting the third test, [an officer] observed an unauthorized collection container fall from Duncan’s shorts,” the affidavit states. “The test was terminated and documented as a failure for the attempt to alter the test.”
Ms Duncan has so far not issued a public statement on the allegation. She was sacked from the school after she failed the drug test, reported WFIE. Ms Duncan was released on a bond of $1,000 and is scheduled to appear before the court for next hearing on 9 October.
