School employee accused of supplying fentanyl to students

Officers learned a student from the school had recently overdosed on suspected fentanyl the week prior, prompting their investigation.

RIVERSIDE, Calif. - A 46-year-old employee with the Bright Futures Academy in Riverside is behind bars after being accused of giving fentanyl to students.

Melissa Haarlem-Garrison is a bus driver and part of campus security who lives on campus with her husband, David Garrison, 58.

Officers say that on Tuesday they found more than 100 suspected fentanyl pills in addition to two had guns and ammunition in the couple's home.

Police initially responded to a call from the school regarding a problem with a student when they learned about another student who suffered an overdose last week. The youth survived the overdose.

Harloam-Garrison was arrested and later booked into the Robert Presley Detention Center for possession of narcotics for sale, sale of narcotics to minors, possession of controlled substances, drug addict in possession of a firearm, possession of a firearm on school campus, being a person prohibited from owning or possession a firearm, and child endangerment. She is being held on $50,000 bail.

Riverside school employees charged with providing fentanyl to students

Garrison was arrested and later booked into the Robert Presley Detention Center for possessing a firearm on campus and being a person prohibited from owning or possessing a firearm. He is being held on $25,000 bail.

According to a criminal complaint, Garrison recruited two students to help peddle the drug over an unspecified period of time.

Bright Futures Academy is a non-public school that serves students with special needs from kindergarten to 12th grade.

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