BOY, 9, TAKES POT TO SCHOOL

Dyer Officials Among Several in the U.S. Dealing With Young Kids And
Drugs

DYER -- Lake Central has joined a growing number of schools dealing
with increasingly younger children bringing drugs to school.

School and police officials confirmed that a 9-year-old boy brought a
bag of marijuana to Protsman Elementary School last month.

This comes on the heels of a Miami kindergartner and an Indianapolis
preschooler taking drugs to school.

The 5-year-old Miami boy took a bag of marijuana to school and
sprinkled it over a friend's lasagna like oregano when school
officials intervened.

Indianapolis authorities said a 4-year-old boy took crack cocaine to
his preschool class last month, calling it flour. Teachers realized it
was cocaine and called authorities. Police said the crack cocaine was
worth up to $10,000.

In this most recent case, the 9-year-old boy was charged with
possession of marijuana after he brought a plastic bag full of the
drug to school.

Authorities did not identify the boy's parents, and withheld his name
because he is a juvenile.

Dyer police Detective Robert Mullen said he did not know the boy's
grade level.

"He was in possession and he was charged," Mullen said. "Police were
called over to the school around 2 p.m. March 12. The case has been
turned over to the Lake County prosecutor's office juvenile division."

Mullen also said he did not know how much marijuana the youngster had
or its street value.

"I also don't know what the prosecutor's office has done with the
case," Mullen said. "He was released to his parents pending a court
date. There was some information that he had gotten the substance from
some other kid but he didn't name anyone.

"The officers don't know how true that is. There are no comments in
the report I have about the incident regarding his parents. It's in
the juvenile court's hands now."

Lake County Juvenile Court Judge Mary Beth Bonaventura said the case
has not come before her yet.

However, she said about five years ago, a 7- or 8-year-old Lake County
youngster brought marijuana in his book bag to school to show some
other children.

"Some of the kids ate it, not realizing what it was," she said. "I
don't know any of the facts of this newest case involving the
9-year-old. Maybe the child got it from his parents, an older sibling
or older kids. We have seen it from time to time where children of a
more tender age have some involvement with drugs."

Bonaventura said those are children in need of services (CHINS), and
are referred to the proper authorities for assistance.

"If marijuana is lying around the house in open view and a child has
access to it, it's a CHINS case, and the family needs services," she
said.

Just recently, Bonaventura said a Gary 9-year-old boy and his
5-year-old brother were removed from the home and put into foster care
when the older boy was found smoking marijuana with a group of teenagers.

"The mother had substance abuse problems," Bonaventura said. "There
was some concern that the older boy had given the younger boy
marijuana. Both kids were taken out of the house. The older boy got
individual counseling and all of them were ordered to undergo family
counseling. There were no parental controls. The children just came
and went as they pleased."

Meanwhile, Lake Central's assistant superintendent, Rocky Killion,
said he can't talk about the specific case involving the Protsman
student, but it's the school's normal policy to automatically suspend
a student found with drugs and request a hearing for an expulsion.

"We do try to take things on a case-by-case basis," Killion said,
referring to the boy's age. "But in most every situation, we request a
suspension or expulsion, then let a hearing officer determine the
merits of the case and what's best for the student and school
corporation. The due process makes sure the child's interests are looked at."

In Killion's 10 years with the district, he said he's never had a
substance abuse case involving such a young child.