HENDERSON, Ky (WEHT) — A former EVSC teacher was arrested and charged with possession of methamphetamine after authorities say they found the drug inside her scrunchie at a school event.
According to Evansville Police, Sarah Duncan, 35, of Mount Vernon, attended a Family Fun Night at Helfrich Park Stem Academy on September 12. Police say Duncan let her hair down to take a photo with two juvenile volunteers at a photo booth at the event towards the end of the night.
While the juveniles were cleaning up, they located a blueish velvet type scrunchie with a white zipper on a table. Inside the scrunchie, the juveniles reportedly found a glass vial and a white powder substance that was believed to be drugs. According to an affidavit, EVSC janitors say they saw Duncan frantically searching for “some sort of hair tie.” The scrunchie and items inside were transported to the Evansville Police Department, where a field test positively identified the white substance as methamphetamine.
On September 14, police say Duncan was taken to a hospital for a drug urine screen. According to an affidavit, Duncan provided two urine samples, where neither sample produced “enough nor reached the temperature for testing.” While conducint a third test, authorities say an “unauthorized container” fell from Duncan’s shorts, and the test was terminated and documented as a failure for the attempt to alter the test.
Eyewitness News has learned through a source that Duncan was a teacher at Helfrich Park Stem Academy. Authorities say Duncan was terminated from her place of employment due to the incident at the school and the failed drug test.
While speaking to authorities, Duncan allegedly admitted to removing her “blueish velvet type scrunchie,” for the photo, but denied leaving it on the table. Duncan also admitted to owning a scrunchie with a zipper pouch, but said it was not the same scrunchie she wore to the Family Fun Night. Duncan said she approached the janitor at the school looking for a scrunchie that she believed her daughter had lost.
Authorities say Duncan was seen wearing a blueish velvet type scrunchie in a photograph taken at the event.
When discussing the drug test with police, Duncan said she did not know why her urine would not reach the appropriate level or temperature for testing, and reportedly denied being aware of the container in her shorts. Duncan said she did not know how or when the pouch got into her shorts, but said there may be another one of them at her residence that was purchased by someone she knows who probably uses them to pass drug screens.
Duncan was arrested and charged with possession of methamphetamine and paraphernalia. She was booked into the Vanderburgh County Confinement Center on Wednesday.
We reached out to EVSC for comment, and were told by officials they had no comment.
