A school crossing guard employed by the William Penn School District is facing legal charges for allegedly providing electronic cigarettes and cannabis to minors at Penn Wood Middle School.
Kiara Lee, 26, residing on Edge Hill Road in Darby, faces multiple charges including possession of cannabis, intent to distribute, and corrupting minors, as per court documents available online.
“Crossing guards are essentially public guardians,” remarked Delaware County District Attorney Jack Stollsteimer, condemning the breach of trust following the arrest. “Such actions not only betray trust but harm the community’s welfare.”
Details provided by Darby Detective Cpl. Anthony Salvatore indicate that Penn Wood Middle School’s principal, Myishing Cox, was alerted by two student witnesses about the guard’s activities, after obtaining consent from their guardians.
The first witness described seeing the guard at the intersection of North MacDade Boulevard and Summit Street handing out vaping devices to students. The same student witnessed the guard giving another student, known as Witness #4, cannabis on multiple occasions.
Another student confirmed seeing Lee giving vaping devices and marijuana to Witness #4. This second witness had also seen Witness #4 in possession of cannabis.
According to reports, the parent of Witness #4 confirmed to police that Lee, nicknamed “Shorty,” had given their child vaping devices and cannabis edibles. The parent confronted Lee, who admitted to providing the substances to help the child cope with depression.
Lee allegedly purchased the cannabis products from a local smoke shop, with packaging that featured a distinctive pink smiley face logo, previously linked to an incident at a nearby high school.
Text messages reviewed by the police show an exchange where Witness #4 told Lee about the effects of the edibles, with Lee responding jokingly.
Darby Police Chief Joe Gabe praised the investigation’s progress and highlighted the importance of safeguarding children from drugs, emphasizing the inappropriateness of a crossing guard distributing cannabis.
Chief Gabe also noted that Lee held a position at the borough recreation center and urged the public to provide any further information about her activities.
Stollsteimer expressed pride in the local law enforcement’s dedication to maintaining safety and order, praising the responsible crossing guards who contribute positively to community safety every day.
Lee was taken to county jail after failing to post bail, set at 10% of $20,000, and awaits a preliminary hearing scheduled for June 12.
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