Columbus, IN—
Update:
Wednesday evening, Bartholomew County Sheriff’s deputies were dispatched to Mount Healthy Elementary School in reference to public intoxication.
Upon Deputies arrival, they observed an adult female exiting the school. During their initial contact, deputies observed signs of intoxication. During the investigation, Deputy Grant Carlson spoke with the original complainant who stated an ICARE worker at Mount Healthy had allegedly been verbally aggressive toward her 12-year-old child who attends the school. When the parent confronted the woman, she immediately noticed the school employee was intoxicated. The parent immediately called 911 due to her concern.
The school employee has been identified as Tiffany Cooksey, age 35 of Bartholomew County. During the investigation, Cooksey was verbally aggressive towards Deputies. As they were preparing to transport Cooksey to Columbus Regional Hospital, Sheriff’s Captain Dave Steinkoenig located a vehicle in the school parking lot that had Cooksey’s two stepdaughters, ages 7 and 10 inside. It is not clear how long the children had been left inside the vehicle unattended. The vehicle did belong to Cooksey and was not running when deputies noticed the children inside it. The children were picked up by a family member and Child Protective Services will be made aware of the incident. Prior to Cooksey’s arrest for Public Intoxication and Child Neglect deputies located an empty bottle of vodka with her belongings.
Due to Cooksey’s high level of intoxication, and after being asked several times to take a PBT which would show a level of alcohol in her system, she was taken to the Columbus Regional Hospital for jail clearance before her incarceration.
Cooksey is currently being held in the Bartholomew County Jail on the two local preliminary charges.
Public Intoxication
Child Neglect
She remains in BCJ in lieu of $11,000 bond.
All persons are considered not guilty unless/until proven guilty in a court of law.
Sheriff Matthew A. Myers stated, “this investigation is ongoing and it is being turned over to our Resource Officer for further investigation”. Additional charges could be forthcoming following a meeting with Bartholomew County Prosecutor Bill Nash.
“Through the school’s investigation, I am sure they will handle this serious incident in house.”
“BCSO is working with BCSC and they are certainly taking this incident seriously and giving us information that we need”, said Bartholomew County Sheriff Matthew A. Myers. “We will continue to work together”, added Sheriff Myers.
“This is a case of when someone saw something, she did the right thing and reported it immediately”, said Captain Dave Steinkoenig.
If anyone has information/concerns about this incident, please contact SRO Deputy Teancum Clark at: [email protected]
Original Story:
An employee in Bartholomew Consolidated School Corporation was arrested for public intoxication at an elementary school Wednesday according to BCSC Communications Coordinator Josh Burnett on Facebook Wednesday.
The employee was arrested for public intoxication and child neglect at Mt. Healthy Elementary School.
Burnett, stated school officials are working with police to learn more about the details of the arrest. He also stated a second adult was also working at the school and “all children are okay.”
The district’s website describes the i-CARE program as an optional before and after school program available to all students in the district.
Burnett also stated on social media that the Sheriff’s Dept will be releasing the full information and details of the person arrested
