Teacher Allegedly Left THC Candies 'Out in the Open' in Classroom. 2 Students Ate Them, and She Was Arrested By KC Baker 11

An Indiana high school teacher is facing preliminary criminal charges after allegedly leaving THC gummies in her classroom, which two students ate thinking they were candy, police said.

On Friday, Nov. 14, the school resource deputy at Angola High School in Angola, Ind., learned that two students had invested THC edibles during the last class period the day before, the Steuben County Sheriff’s Office said in a statement on Facebook.

“The two students involved were in class at the time of the incident and were unaware that the candy they ate contained THC,” the Sheriff’s Office wrote.  

The candy was inside the classroom and “out in the open,” according to the sheriff’s office.  

The candy was brought into the classroom by a teacher identified as Debra L. McGillem, 49, of Reading, Mich., the sheriff’s office alleged.

Authorities found additional food items suspected of containing THC in McGillem’s possession, the sheriff’s office alleged.  

McGillem drove to the sheriff’s office for questioning.

“During McGillem’s interview, observations were made and information was developed to believe that she had operated a vehicle while impaired,” the sheriff’s office alleged.

McGillem was booked into the Steuben County Jail on preliminary felony charges of neglect of a dependent and possession of a controlled substance on school property. She also faces a charge of operating a vehicle while intoxicated in connection with the case.

She was held on a $6,500 bond and was there at least through Saturday.

Want to keep up with the latest crime coverage? Sign up for  PEOPLE‘s free True Crime newsletter for breaking crime news, ongoing trial coverage and details of intriguing unsolved cases.

In a statement released Friday night, Metropolitan School District of Steuben County Superintendent Matthew Widenhoefer, wrote 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.”

McGillem is a language arts teacher at the high school, according to the district’s website.

After the arrest was announced, students came to McGillen’s defense.

“Im (sic) a senior at Angola High-school and she was the best teacher in that school by far,” Josh Carroll wrote on Facebook. “She doesn’t deserve all the hate and disrespect. She’s a human being, people make mistakes just like we all do.”

It is unclear whether she has retained an attorney who can speak on her behalf.