The Brewer Police Department arrested a Regional School Unit (RSU) 63 School Board member from Eddington on Tuesday evening in connection with the nearly fatal overdose of an infant following a multi-day search for the suspect.
[RELATED: Eddington School Board Member On the Run After an Infant Overdosed on Drugs…]
“I understand there are questions in the community about what happens next. Since this situation came to light, I have contacted both of our Superintendent and the Chair of the RSU School Board to discuss the necessary process we must follow. This is an unusual situation, and we are taking the time to ensure we handle it correctly,” said Eddington Town Manager Shawna Hinkley.
“Our focus is on filling the remainder of the term in accordance with the rules governing the School Board. I recognize that many people are seeking answers, and I appreciate everyone’s patience as we work through this matter,” she added.
From July 10-14, Penobscot County Sheriff’s Department deputies searched for Brittany Wood, who was wanted on an active arrest warrant on charges of domestic violence aggravated assault and endangering the welfare of a child.
The charges stemmed from the late May drug overdose of an infant, who was only saved thanks to the quick action of a Penobscot patrol supervisor.
Wood allegedly evaded arrest, leading the sheriff’s department to issue a wanted person alert.
Following that alert, the department received multiple useful tips from members of the public. Using that information and unspecified “advanced techniques and legal processes,” the department determined Wood’s approximate location.
On Tuesday, the Maine State Police Cellular Analysis Team, the United States Marshals Service Fugitive Apprehension Team, the Maine Drug Enforcement Agency, and the Brewer Police Department assisted in narrowing down her location to an area in Brewer, and investigators established surveillance.
At approximately 7:00 p.m., investigators saw Wood leaving a Brewer residence as a passenger in a white pickup truck driven by a man.
The Brewer Police Department stopped the truck and confirmed Wood’s identity.
She was arrested without further incident on her outstanding warrant.
The Penobscot Sheriff’s Department is now investigating the suspects who allegedly assisted Wood in evading law enforcement.
While the town of Eddington has made a statement on Wood’s arrest, RSU 63 has been silent and has not responded to a request for comment from The Maine Wire.
Is this woman the infants mother? I have read both articles and am still not sure.
“This is an unusual situation”. Not unusual since the Democrats have taken over.
I commend the town manager here, unless she resigns, you really do have to follow proper procedure, which may well include a recall petition and a vote to recall her.
Doing nothing right now is the best thing to do. Despite turbulence on the board, I believe there are seven other members and absent other issues, that would be enough to conduct business. And if there are other issues, summarily removing someone on the basis of just an arrest and related rumors would exacerbate the daylights out of the other issues.
I somehow doubt she’s gonna show up to meetings, her lawyer would definitely tell her not to, so the cheapest thing would also likely be to do nothing.
I say cheapest because if you remove her from office and she actually is innocent, you have violated her civil rights and you could wind up paying a few million dollars for that. The taxpayers can wind up paying a few million dollars for that.
Sure, she’s probably guilty. But DHHS is involved, and only an idiot would trust DHHS.
And the law, which we all need to respect, says that she is innocent until and unless she is actually convicted after a fair trial.
So — for the greater good of the values we all hold — I would say leave her on the school committee. Her vote is meaningless unless for other people vote with her, and the town of Eddington has every right to immediately start a recall petition if they truly think this one vote is important to them — and my guess is that she would resign as soon as she sees that it has started.
One other thing — I’ve got a pretty good idea how the cops found her and I’m not gonna mention it beyond saying that they would have to be a lot more involved here than it has made the press, with other people involved, and that too is another reason to do nothing be a recall, petition if people feel that strongly.
“charges of domestic violence aggravated assault and endangering the welfare of a child”
The presumption is that the child is the victim of all three charges.
That does not have to be the case — the first two charges could possibly involve another adult, i.e. an aggravated assault on a current or former domestic partner.
It’s a real stretch to bring the domestic violence statute into a child abuse of an infant.
It’s not what it was intended to cover — just sayin…..
This case could well go to the US Supreme Court — if all they’ve got is that she had fentanyl in her body and hence breastmilk, I don’t see mens rea for either the aggravated assault or domestic violence charges, and I’m hard pressed to see the child abuse charge.
She may take a plea, but if she doesn’t, it’s gonna raise very serious fourth and fifth amendment issues. It wouldn’t be hard to extend such precedent to drinking and drug use during pregnancy if that raises some interesting civil liberties questions.
And we don’t want kids being poisoned by the drugs their mothers are taking.
But this could go to the Supreme Court, but at least four different issues I can think of.