COLUMBUS, Ohio — A man has pleaded guilty to three charges after his 10-year-old daughter reportedly took his marijuana edibles to an Upper Arlington elementary school and shared them with her friends last month, according to court records and confirmed by the bailiff for Judge James O'Grady.
Scott Macre, 43, pleaded guilty to one count each of inducing panic, obstructing official business and misdemeanor possession of a controlled substance, according to court records and confirmed by the bailiff for Judge James O'Grady. The inducing panic charge was initially a charge of endangering children, but was subsequently amended.
Editor's Note: A previous version of this report stated Macre pleaded "no contest" to three charges, including endangering children. That inaccurate information was provided to 10TV by a representative of the Franklin County Municipal Court Clerk's Office.
Four other counts of endangering children were dismissed after a request by the prosecutor's office.
Five children from Windermere Elementary School were taken to Nationwide Children's Hospital on April 22 because the district said they felt ill after sharing a "non-school food item" during lunchtime.
Court records state Macre's 10-year-old daughter found the 50 milligram tablets of THC edibles in the family’s kitchen cabinet and took them to school after mistaking them for leftover Easter candy.
The girl reportedly shared the gummies with four of her friends. According to court records, all five students "displayed signs of impairment, nausea, hallucinations, and elevated heart rates."
When detectives questioned Macre about the edibles, records show he asked for authorities to wait outside and then attempted to dispose of the remaining gummies down the garbage disposal.
Macre later told investigators he purchased the edibles from Colorado in 2018 and that he uses them for a medical condition. Macre added he had taken the edibles in the downstairs living room while intoxicated the night before and placed them in the kitchen cabinet before heading to work.
He is scheduled to be sentenced on June 14.