Cheerleaders caught trying to sell, take morphine

Tillie Fong, Rocky Mountain News

Published December 14, 2005 at midnight

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LAKEWOOD - Four female students at Green Mountain High School, including two cheerleaders and a member of the pom squad, were arrested and suspended Friday for possessing and selling morphine capsules at school.

Two other students, both cheerleaders, also were suspended for their involvement in the case.

"The whole situation is tragic," said Principal Barb Goings. "Fortunately, we didn't have a fatality."

The four suspects, two 14 and two 15, were taken to the juvenile assessment center Friday then released to the custody of their parents. They could face charges of possession and distribution of a schedule II controlled substance.

All six students were suspended until an expulsion hearing can be held, which is expected to be scheduled within 20 days.

Police were notified of the incidents Friday. Goings said the sales occurred Thursday.

"One of them brought some morphine capsules that were part of a prescription of a family member to school," said Steve Davis, spokesman for Lakewood police.

"She enlisted the help of a friend to sell to a third student, who in turn, sold it to a fourth female student."

Goings said a freshman girl, who was not a cheerleader or a pom squad member, said the capsules belonged to a grandmother who had passed away and she brought them to school Thursday to sell to other students.

"She wanted to buy an iPod," said Goings.

The investigation revealed later that two other girls, both sophomore cheerleaders, also were involved.

The fifth girl had loaned money to a sixth girl to buy the drugs. The sixth girl "unfortunately took the morphine and smoked some pot outside of school and got sick," Goings said.

The two girls were suspended but not arrested.

The school was informed at noon Friday, when a student who knew of the involvement of the freshman cheerleader in the transactions told the athletic director, who alerted the campus supervisor and assistant principal.

Goings said eight to 10 capsules were confiscated. It was unknown Tuesday what the dosages were.

The four girls were questioned and arrested by Lakewood police after school.

"They were all good students," Goings said. "You hate to be suspicious of anyone, but they did something for the thrill of it. I really believe that the girls had no idea what morphine is or what it is used for. It was the thrill of taking something that they shouldn't."

Goings said she will have all the teachers read a statement to the students today "to get everyone on the same wavelength on this and to stop the rumors."

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