Teacher Drugged Autistic Student With Melatonin

A parent has filed a lawsuit alleging a teacher at Baltimore County's Maidens Choice School drugged a non-verbal, autistic student with melatonin over a two-month period. The special needs student, aged three to 12, reportedly received the sleep aid each morning. This alleged 'drugging' is described in the lawsuit as a medical assault and battery, leading to cognitive and medical setbacks for the child.

The lawsuit claims the teacher and her aides administered the melatonin without the parent's explicit consent, despite the mother having reservations about its use for her child's specific needs. The parent reportedly had 'concerning personal conversations' with the teacher about melatonin, who advocated for its use in managing non-verbal autism behaviors.

School administrators allegedly became suspicious after an entire class was consistently found sleeping mid-day for at least six weeks, prompting a staff member to report the incident. Following the whistleblower's report in September 2026, the teacher was placed on administrative leave. The student's health reportedly deteriorated, showing severe blood loss from nosebleeds, blood clotting, uncontrolled emotions, and insomnia.

However, the principal and the school district are petitioning to dismiss the lawsuit, asserting they were unaware of the alleged drugging until it was reported. They deny claims that leadership suspected foul play. The school board argues it cannot be held liable for a former employee's actions, and the principal claims no personal violation allegations against her.