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Boy gets praise in cocaine incident

The first-grader is called brave for bringing the drugs to officials' attention.

By ABBIE VANSICKLE and LETITIA STEIN
Published April 19, 2007

TAMPA - The first-grader told a teacher he needed to talk.

Once inside the assistant principal's office, the 7-year-old boy said he had something "very dangerous."

From his jacket pocket, he pulled out two clear plastic sandwich bags filled with large, white lumps - $8,900 worth of crack cocaine.

Police say the Forest Hills Elementary School student carried the drugs to school Tuesday in the pocket of a blue, child-sized jacket.

He didn't show the drugs to any classmates, and school officials praised him for revealing his illegal cargo.

He won't receive any sort of discipline, said schools spokesman Stephen Hegarty.

"We told him several times that he did the right thing," Hegarty said.

Less clear is whether anyone else will be punished for the drugs.

Police say no one has admitted owning the jacket. It's unclear if it belongs to the boy, or where it was before he wore it.

Investigators interviewed witnesses and family members, but, so far, all denied having the jacket and the drugs.

The boy, who name is not being released, is one of five children. His mother, who name also was withheld, has previous narcotics-related charges, but she has not been charged in this case, said police spokeswoman Andrea Davis.

The Department of Children and Families was involved in Tuesday's case, but the boy has remained with his family, Davis said.

In a letter sent home to parents, principal Sandra Thrower said the boy showed bravery.

"The student did everything we've taught students to do if they find or see something illegal," she wrote. "He notified a responsible adult."

No first-grade teachers could be reached for comment.

Officer Lisa Parashis said this is the first narcotics-related police visit to the school, which is located north of Busch Boulevard, just west of Interstate 275.

The case is unusual, Parashis said, because of the large amount of drugs found: 3.12 ounces.

The reaction to Tuesday's incident was muted compared to that of a similar incident more than a decade ago, when six fourth-graders were arrested, accused of bringing cocaine to Dale Mabry Elementary School.

The incident, which involved students 9 to 12, caused a public outcry and shocked the community.

Politicians, journalists, talk show hosts, activists, school officials, parents and relatives, some as far away as the nation's capital, weighed in on the incident and its meaning for the community.

Back then, police found 0.1 ounces of cocaine, worth about $300. An 11-year-old student was accused of distributing five packets of cocaine powder among his classmates. Five of the children faced charges of possession of cocaine. The sixth faced a charge of intent to deliver cocaine.

The School Board voted to move the six youngsters to alternative schools, at least until the end of the year.

Information from Times files was used in this report. Abbie VanSickle can be reached at 813 226-3373 or vansickle@sptimes.com.

[Last modified April 19, 2007, 07:14:16]