A now-former nurse of a Fairfax County school has been indicted, accused of stealing prescription medication from students.
Jennifer Carpenter, the now former nurse, was assigned as a school health aide at Greenbriar East Elementary School in Fairfax. Officials say she was responsible for maintaining and administering prescription medication to students during school hours
During her time as the school health aide, she allegedly stole Adderall and Ritalin, which are stimulants often prescribed to treat attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder, and replaced them with sugar placebo pills and/or over-the-counter medicine in the place of the prescribed narcotics. Detectives believe Carpenter was keeping the scheduled narcotics, which included Ritalin, Adderall, and Focalin, for personal use.
AHEAD AT 6: A former local school nurse accused of stealing medication form students. @NSBonsu_ joins us LIVE from Fairfax County. @fox5dc #virginia pic.twitter.com/sPkgP7U4zV
— angie goff (@OhMyGOFF) July 21, 2022
Carpenter was employed by the county’s health department, which said it reported her to police and fired her. The department said it first learned on May 27 that there was a discrepancy in a medication for a student at Greenbriar East Elementary School.
“The health department responded immediately and began an internal investigation,” according to a statement from the department.
Department officials said they contacted Fairfax County police, notified parents and guardians of the affected students and placed Carpenter on leave.
Carpenter was then fired June 15, the department said.
A grand jury indicted Carpenter on 11 counts: two counts of possession of Schedule I or II drugs; one count of obtaining drugs by forgery; one count of adulterate or misbrand drugs; and seven counts of contributing to the delinquency or abuse of a child.
The counts carry a maximum penalty of up to 32.5 years in prison and up to $25,000 in fines.