Riverside school employee arrested for giving students fentanyl

Riverside police arrested a school employee for providing fentanyl to at least a dozen students, one of whom overdosed.

"Probably over the past year we have responded at least 100 times for calls for service," said Riverside police officer Ryan Railsback. 

According to police, Melissa Harloam-Garrison, 46, an employee at Bright Futures Academy, a school that serves students with special needs had lived in a cottage on campus while she dealt drugs to students. In a statement released Friday, the school said that Harloam-Garrison was a behavioral aide, not a bus driver nor a security guard as initially reported by police.

Harloam-Garrison is also the daughter of the school's owner. She has since been terminated according to the school.

"They're supposed to be safe when they get to school," said former bus driver Brittany. "They're supposed to be safe. And Bright Futures — there ain't nothing bright about that place. It is dark!"

Brittany said she had brought up concerns about abuse years ago. 

"There was no safety for them," she added. "They'd be in restraints for, some of them, the whole period of time they were there — six-hour restraints.

Harloam-Garrison was arrested and booked for possession of narcotics for sale, sale of narcotics to minors, possession of controlled substances, a drug addict in possession of a firearm, possession of a firearm on a school campus, being a person prohibited for owning or possessing a firearm and child endangerment. She is being held on a $50,000 bail. 

Her husband, David Garrison, 56, was arrested and booked for possessing a firearm on campus and being a person prohibited from owning or possessing a firearm. He is being held on a $25,000 bail. He was convicted in 2016 of domestic violence. 

"This event has shaken us to our core. Beyond the shock of the allegations, we are saddened that the health and safety of our students were put at risk. That is completely unacceptable to us! Our staff and administration are communicating with everyone involved to make sure our students are cared for. We may be taken by surprise by this but we aren't distracted from providing excellent education," stated Betti Colucci, president and principal of Bright Futures Academy.   

According to court documents, the couple also enlisted the help of two girls and one boy to sell or peddle the fentanyl. 

Police were first alerted about Harloam-Garrison's dealings after an incorrigible juvenile was found on the school's campus at 9994 County Farm Road on May 17. Staff at the school said that a teenage girl had overdosed last week too. She was revived by paramedics.

"This is the type of school that serves vulnerable kids," said Railsback. "She was taking advantage of that."

After a school investigation revealed that she was the suspect supplying drugs to students, police searched her home. They found over 100 fentanyl pills, two handguns and various types of ammunition. 

In a second search of the cottage, police found 50 more pills and ammunition.  

Harloam-Garrison failed to appear at court on Friday after she was not medically cleared. 

Bright Futures said that since the initial searchs a team of drug-sniffing dogs has roamed the campus and have not found any other illicit items. 

The school said they will "enhance" their screening processes which will now include new drug tests and regular monitoring. The school will be closed Monday. 

The school is also appealing the California Department of Education's decision to temporarily revoke its special education funding certification.