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Mom Arrested - Accused of Helping Bake Ex-Lax Cookies
May 9, 2006
SKOWHEGAN -- A North New Portland woman accused of helping her daughter make cookies laced with the laxative Ex-Lax appeared before a judge Monday and pleaded innocent to a single charge of misdemeanor assault.
Julie E. Hunt, 43, wore blue prison garb and handcuffs as she pleaded not guilty before Judge Charles C. LaVerdiere in Skowhegan District Court on Monday morning.
Hunt was arrested Friday afternoon after a police investigation into an attempted prank at Carrabec Community School that caused four children in seventh or eighth grade to become ill.
Hunt is accused of baking the cookies with three girls, two aged 13 and one 14. The cookies were never eaten by the target of the prank, a teacher who had reportedly given one of the girls a low grade.
The cookies were left on the desk of the teacher on April 10, along with a note saying "We made these cookies just for you, hope you enjoy them."
The teacher shared them with students instead.
Attorney Janet Mills, who defended Hunt, said her client denied any involvement.
She also asked Judge LaVerdiere to relax Hunt's bail conditions so she could attend a disciplinary hearing for one of the girls.
Under her bail conditions, Hunt is not allowed to have contact with the teacher who was the target of the prank or with Mary Adley, the principal of Carrabec Community School.
LaVerdiere did allow Hunt to attend disciplinary hearings at the school.
According to an affidavit filed in Skowhegan District Court and signed by Maine State Trooper Hugh I. Landry, Hunt told the girls how to crush the laxative pills and add them to the cookie batter. They used an entire box of pills, according to the affidavit.
Adley found out about the incident when another student overheard two of the girls talking about it. Adley called police April 24.
Trooper Jonathan Wilson, who investigated the incident with Landry, arrested Hunt on Friday afternoon.
State police Lt. Dale Lancaster said Monday that the girls had not been charged for their part in the crime. According to the affidavit, all three girls were suspended by school officials.
In the eyes of the law, Hunt's involvement was not something that could be taken lightly, Lancaster said.
"If you assist children with perpetrating these kinds of crimes, you will be charged," Lancaster said.
Regina Campbell, superintendent of School Administrative District 74, said she could not comment because of concern for the students' confidentiality rights.
Monday afternoon, Hunt was in the Cumberland County Correctional Facility. She was being held on $100 bail related to the assault charge and for violating the terms of her probation related to a prior charge of driving as a habitual offender.
Submitted by Buck
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