School Clinic Nurse Took Students' Pills, Officials Say

This story was written by Local Editor Alex Tiegen.

Pasco County Sheriff’s deputies say a woman who worked as an assistant at the clinic at New River Elementary School in Wesley Chapel stole pills from students at the school.

Kimberly Smith, of Dade City, was arrested Aug. 30 and charged with possession of a controlled substance without a prescription. 

Detective Chris Beaman said Smith, 39, dipped into students’ prescriptions of Ritalin and a Ritalin-like drug. He said there were cases where she was swapping pills out of children’s prescriptions, but it’s unclear what she was swapping back into them.

“That’s what’s concerning,” he said.  

He said it’s unclear what she used the pills she took for. 

Beaman said a parent reported concerns about Smith to the New River principal and the school district contacted the sheriff’s office.  

Smith claims to be a licensed practical nurse, but state Department of Health records show she received an order that her license was being suspended in June. The suspension is connected to a case where she was accused of using fraudulent practices to get pills for her husband. 

The license expired July 31, according to state records.

Smith has been employed with the school district Oct. 4.  She was given a chance to resign when faced with the allegation, and she did, according to the Tampa Tribune.  

Pasco Schools spokeswoman Linda Cobbe said that the district doesn’t require licensure for a clinic assistant position, and the district didn’t check the license.

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