FAIRFAX COUNTY, Va. — A former school nurse's aide at a Fairfax elementary school lost her job and is facing multiple charges after she was accused of swapping students' prescription medication for allergy pills.
A grand jury indicted Jennifer Carpenter on 11 charges, including possession of a controlled drug, embezzlement and contributing to the delinquency of a minor. Court documents show that Carpenter had been diverting pills from Jan. 2- May 27, 2022, and seven students were impacted.
Brett Byrnes, the father of one of the children involved, said he knew something was off when he got a call from his daughter's school, Greenbriar Elementary School.
"To me this is a school safety issue," Byrnes said. "They said she's out of medication and about two weeks prior to that, I dropped off enough medication to get her through the year."
Byrnes said his third-grade daughter was prescribed Ritalin. But he says Carpenter had been swapping out his daughter's medication for over-the-counter Claritin, instead.
"My daughter was adamant that she didn't get it, but the nurse aide told us she was getting it," Byrne said "So as a father, it's frustrating that your kid is telling you this, but you trust the adults right?"
Carpenter was previously employed by the Fairfax County Health Department (FCHD), but has since been fired.
Tina Dale, senior communications specialist with FCHD, shared the following statement when asked for comment:
"It came to the Fairfax County Health Department's attention on Friday, May 27 that there was a discrepancy in a medication for a student at Greenbriar East Elementary School. The Fairfax County Health Department responded immediately and began an internal investigation. A report was made to the Fairfax County Police Department that evening and the investigation is ongoing. The Health Department notified parents and guardians of the seven affected students immediately upon determining the scope of the problem. The employee was initially placed on administrative leave, but the county has since terminated this person's employment."
Byrnes said he was told FCPS would increase its audits on the health department, and said he is hopeful the steps being taken will ensure other parents and students don't experience the same situation. He is calling for a clearer line of communication between the county's health department and the school system moving forward.
Carpenter is scheduled to appear in Fairfax Circuit Court Thursday morning.