2nd grade teacher sentenced for drugs in school – NBC4 Washington
Virginia Teacher Sentenced in drug, Child endangerment case
Candyce Carter, a second-grade teacher in Spotsylvania County, VA, received a two-year prison sentence Friday after pleading guilty to 19 felonies, including drug possession and child endangerment. The charges stemmed from incidents at spotswood Elementary school.
Prosecutors revealed that on May 16, 2024, Carter’s husband, Kristopher Carter, delivered drugs to her at the school. Staff later found her disoriented in her classroom with a bag of drugs nearby.Further investigation revealed that days before her arrest, carter took her 2-year-old child with her to purchase cocaine and fentanyl.
On the day of Carter’s arrest, school staff also discovered Kristopher Carter unconscious in the parking lot with the couple’s child in the car. Paramedics administered Narcan to revive him and evaluated students for potential drug exposure.
Kristopher Carter also pleaded guilty to child endangerment and drug distribution and received a similar two-year sentence.
Stacey Linkenhoker, whose child was in Carter’s class, expressed the lasting impact of the incident. ”That’s not something that just goes away,” Linkenhoker said. “It’s not something he’ll be able to forget.” She recounted her child asking if the teacher “would rather do drugs than be his teacher,” a question she found difficult to answer.
Both Candyce and Kristopher Carter apologized in court. Kristopher Carter said he felt “completely ashamed,” while Candyce Carter stated that words could not express the stress she caused the community.
Linkenhoker expressed empathy for Carter, hoping she would continue her recovery and learn from the situation.
What’s next
spotswood Elementary’s principal told the court that the incident has made teacher recruitment difficult. The school is actively working to reassure families that it remains a safe surroundings for their children. Defense attorneys noted that the Carters have separated and are participating in addiction treatment programs.