Suspect denies guilt in making of laxative cookies !!!!

[Daanyeer]

Tuesday, May 9, 2006

Source:mainetoday.com

By ALAN CROWELL, Blethen Maine News Service

Copyright © 2006 Blethen Maine Newspapers Inc.



SKOWHEGAN — A North New Portland woman who is accused of helping her daughter make cookies laced with the laxative Ex-Lax appeared before a judge Monday and pleaded not guilty to a single charge of misdemeanor assault. Julie E. Hunt, 43, wore blue prison garb and handcuffs as she pleaded before Judge Charles C. LaVerdiere in Skowhegan District Court. She is a Somerset County inmate, but is being held in the Cumberland County Jail in Portland.

Hunt was arrested on Friday afternoon, after a police investigation into an attempted prank at Carrabec Community School that made four children in seventh or eighth grade ill.

Hunt is accused of baking the cookies with three girls, who are 13 and 14. The cookies were never eaten by the target of the prank, a teacher who had reportedly given one of the girls a low grade.

The cookies were left on the desk of the teacher on April 10, along with a note saying: "We made these cookies just for you, hope you enjoy them."

The teacher shared them with students instead.

Janet Mills, the attorney who defended Hunt, said her client denied any involvement.

She also asked LaVerdiere to relax Hunt's bail conditions so she could attend a disciplinary hearing for one of the girls.

Under her bail conditions, Hunt is not allowed to have contact with the teacher who was the target of the prank or with Mary Adley, the principal of Carrabec Community School.

However, LaVerdiere did say that Hunt could attend disciplinary hearings at the school.

According to an affidavit filed in Skowhegan District Court and signed by Maine State Trooper Hugh I. Landry, Hunt told the girls how to crush the laxative pills and add them to the cookie batter.

They used an entire box of pills, according to the affidavit.

Adley found out about the incident when another student overheard two of the girls talking about it. Adley called police on April 24.

Trooper Jonathan Wilson, who investigated the incident with Landry, arrested Hunt.

State police Lt. Dale Lancaster said Monday that the girls had not been charged for their part in the crime. According to the affidavit, all three girls were suspended by school officials.

Regina Campbell, superintendent of School Administrative District 74, said she could not comment because of confidentiality concerns.

Hunt remained in jail on Friday for violating the terms of probation related to a prior charge of driving as a habitual offender.