A high school teacher in Indiana is facing charges after students ate her gummies. Debra McGillem allegedly left the candies, which contained THC, in her classroom where her students could find them, and instead of the kids leaving them alone, they ate them. Soon, the teacher found herself in police questioning and then in handcuffs. Now, she’s not only facing legal action and possibly jail time but also disciplinary action at work.
On November 14, 2025, school resource officers at Angola High School were made aware that two students had unknowingly ingested THC-laced gummies during their last period class the afternoon before, the Steuben County Sheriff’s Office noted in a statement.
A preliminary investigation revealed that the gummies were “inside the classroom out in the open,” the statement read. Additional details about where they were found or how the students ended up eating them were not given. As the investigation continued, officers found that McGillem brought the gummies into the classroom.
The 49-year-old is a resident of Reading, Michigan. Marijuana use, both recreationally and medically, is legal in Michigan.
Detectives conducted interviews with both the students involved and McGillem, WPTA reported. As the investigation continued, additional food items were found in McGillem’s possession that officers suspected contained THC. “During McGillem’s interview, observations were made and information was developed to believe that she had operated a vehicle while impaired,” the statement read.
After the interview, McGillem was booked into Steuben County Jail on three preliminary charges: neglect of a dependent, possession of a controlled substance on school property, and operating a vehicle while intoxicated, according to WPTA. She was being held in lieu of a $6,500 bond.
The sheriff’s office is still investigating, and a report was made to the Indiana Department of Child Services.
Superintendent of the Metropolitan School District of Steuben County Matthew L. Widenhoefer addressed the incident in a statement on Facebook. “The school district is aware that an MSDSC staff member has been booked into the Steuben County Jail. The district has initiated an internal investigation, and appropriate disciplinary action will be taken in accordance with district policy and applicable law,” his statement read.
