Saline mom finds illegal surprise in garage sale stuffed animal
A deal-seeking Saline mom got more than what she bargained for when she purchased a stuffed animal for her daughter at the Union School garage sale, police said.
The 44-year-old woman went to the Saline Police Department at about 4 p.m. on Aug. 16 after she found a prescription bottle containing marijuana embedded in the oversized toy’s head, reports said.
She said she purchased the stuffed dog two days earlier at the community garage sale for $2 and felt what she thought was a speaker inside the head.
The woman said she was able to pull the item out after her daughter noticed it while playing and immediately reported it to police. According to reports, the woman and her daughter searched the name on the prescription bottle on the Internet and were able to provide information that helped officers positively identify the woman who sold the stuffed animal and other belongings during the day-long event.
Officers interviewed the 18-year-old Pittsfield Township woman, and she acknowledged selling the stuffed animal. She said she didn't remember placing marijuana in the toy and said she no longer uses the drug, reports said.
The officers issued a stern warning of the potential legal consequences and she apologized, reports said.
The bottle was logged into the evidence, and its contents were destroyed.
Art Aisner is a freelance writer for AnnArbor.com. Reach the news desk at news@annarbor.com or 734-623-2530.
Comments
Craig Lounsbury
Wed, Aug 25, 2010 : 11:24 a.m.
And the moral to this whole episode is....don't put your stash in a bottle with your name on it.
Urban Sombrero
Tue, Aug 24, 2010 : 9:35 p.m.
Ah, yes, DARE.....making our children paranoid about a harmless weed since 1983. Ridiculous.
just a voice
Tue, Aug 24, 2010 : 7:46 p.m.
wow, seems the saline community has a much more tolerant attitude toward police enforcement compairing this to other recent forum posts
Greggy_D
Tue, Aug 24, 2010 : 3:11 p.m.
I would be more upset at the D.A.R.E. program that programs children to visibly shake at the mere sight of Mary Jane.
Angie Rasmussen
Tue, Aug 24, 2010 : 1:44 p.m.
I have known this Saline mom for my entire life, lets call her Peggy. Although the facts of this report are true there is more to the story. Here is some additional information will give more background, the rest of the story As the article states they did purchase a stuffed dog at a garage sale, from a nice young woman who sold it to them at price, due to the cuteness of the daughter. After a couple of days, Peggy noticed there was a hard object inside the dog. Her daughter told her that it was probably a speaker or voice box that no longer worked. Peggy decided to remove the object. This would solve the mystery and make the dog more cuddly. That is when they found the prescription bottle. Peggy opened the bottle, she knew what was in there, and went to throw it away. Her 11 year old daughter, who has been through the SALINE D.A.R.E. program with officer Dave, asked if it was drugs and Peggy, without thinking, said yes. Her daughter became very upset and was visibly shaking, and wanted her Mom to do the right thing and take the drugs to the police station right away. So to follow the program and set a good example, off they went. The officer at the police station made it clear to her daughter that she did the right thing and then winked at the Mom. My dear friend thought that would be the end of it. Thats when the story broke and the comments started. What I find ironic, is that she did not intend to get anyone in trouble, nor did she want to waste the policemans time. She just wanted to reinforce what the D.A.R.E. program had instilled in her little girls mind. Most of the responses seem to be what was she thinking?, well now you know. Peggy is a great, level-headed wonderful mom and one of my dearest friends.
Blue
Tue, Aug 24, 2010 : 1:37 p.m.
It is YOUR OPINION that Mother Theresa she ain't. That's all.
djm12652
Tue, Aug 24, 2010 : 12:10 p.m.
@blue...I may not know anything about this young woman personally, but I do know that according to the article, she put an illegal substance in a container, stuffed inside of a toy that was sold...enuf said. Mother Teresa she ain't!
Mertie
Tue, Aug 24, 2010 : 11:22 a.m.
Saline seems to be a high crime location. I've noticed a lot of the articles have been about Saline lately. So sad for all the elite trying to escape inner-city problems!
Sean
Tue, Aug 24, 2010 : 7:33 a.m.
And we still think we can win the "Drug War"?
DDOT1962
Tue, Aug 24, 2010 : 7:23 a.m.
Had I been the one to purchase this bear for $2.00 and discovered its contents? I'd have said to myself, "Whoa, today's your lucky day. What a steal!" Have a pleasant one.
Blue
Tue, Aug 24, 2010 : 6:55 a.m.
Once again, you are talking about a kid - whom you know nothing about.
ybecuz
Mon, Aug 23, 2010 : 11:29 p.m.
I'm sure the "destruction" of said illicit contraband was followed up with a necessary munchie run to the nearest Tim Hortons.
racerx
Mon, Aug 23, 2010 : 11:13 p.m.
Cheech & Chong, "...that's where you put your weed...!"
djm12652
Mon, Aug 23, 2010 : 9:19 p.m.
@blue...ah yes, typical argument of deflection...I do not break the law, don't speed, jaywalk, cheat on my taxes, use drugs, have never driven a car even after one wine cooler, or rob a bank...that is because I was raised to respect myself, and the rules/laws. If I don't agree with the law, then I would work to change it. That, in and of itself comes with having integrity...however, putting what is still an illegal substance in a toy [and selling it] that a child could play with is absolutly an act of someone that hasn't a lot of respect for anything in my book...
Urban Sombrero
Mon, Aug 23, 2010 : 8:55 p.m.
Oy, the kerfuffle over pot never ceases to amaze me. Much more benign than alcohol and tobacco yet still, inexplicably, illegal. Dumb, dumb, dumb.
stunhsif
Mon, Aug 23, 2010 : 8:31 p.m.
"The bottle was logged into the evidence, and the contents were destroyed". HMMM. Would like to know the process used to destroy illegal substances, seriously, how is this done by police departments?
Macabre Sunset
Mon, Aug 23, 2010 : 7:31 p.m.
I was hoping this would turn into an episode of Antiques Roadhouse. Alas, it went in a different direction.
dk
Mon, Aug 23, 2010 : 7:30 p.m.
"The bottle was logged into the evidence, and its contents were destroyed" "Destroyed" can mean a lot of different things.
Bob
Mon, Aug 23, 2010 : 4:56 p.m.
Was there also a bake sale with brownies?
javajolt1
Mon, Aug 23, 2010 : 3:52 p.m.
Much ado about nothing.
Basic Bob
Mon, Aug 23, 2010 : 2:55 p.m.
@Jan Price, a child taking a "taste" of pot is not too likely. First it was in a child-proof container, second it would be like a taste of long-ago crunched up leaves - not too palatable. Worst case would be a long nap.
AlwaysLate
Mon, Aug 23, 2010 : 2:46 p.m.
LOL! This Jay Leno material!
Gaboo
Mon, Aug 23, 2010 : 2:41 p.m.
What's worrisome about this is that the pot was in a child's toy. What if the daughter had removed the bottle herself and had a taste or two? I don't fault the mom for getting the police involved. The consequences might have been worse - and the young woman then would likely have been arrested rather than given a stern warning.
Blue
Mon, Aug 23, 2010 : 2:19 p.m.
Really? AnnArbor.com only reports the important stuff here! dmj12652 - How would you know whether or not this young lady has respect for the law? Or does an illegal act automatically mean a person has no respect?? Have YOU ever driven a mile over the speed limit? - That is illegal! Can one then infer that you have no respect for the law??
ViSHa
Mon, Aug 23, 2010 : 12:46 p.m.
yuck, i'd be more worried about the stuffed animal than the pot (assuming it was a used toy). maybe she reported it to the police because she'd seen 'Wait Until Dark' too many times.
donderop
Mon, Aug 23, 2010 : 11:24 a.m.
Big deal. A gram or two of pot qualifies as a news story? Yawn.
boom
Mon, Aug 23, 2010 : 9:39 a.m.
Case closed. I agree with all. Let the police move on to more serious crimes.
Davidian
Mon, Aug 23, 2010 : 9:27 a.m.
Agreed, she woman who bought the toy should've just tossed the weed. There was absolutely no reason to get the police involved. I'm glad the police handled it appropriately.
Ignatz
Mon, Aug 23, 2010 : 9:23 a.m.
I'm glad valuble law enforcement resources were not wasted on this, even if there was intent to sell. There are far worse things going on than maryjane sales and usage.
waeujo
Mon, Aug 23, 2010 : 9:22 a.m.
Perhaps,today the young lady Bear-ly remembers her stash.
waeujo
Mon, Aug 23, 2010 : 9:20 a.m.
Perhaps, the young lady, Bear-ly remembers today.
djm12652
Mon, Aug 23, 2010 : 9:07 a.m.
@ignatz....perhaps there is no ruling on "selling WITHOUT intent to distribute"...so a stern warning, which I'm sure the young woman took to heart because of her immense respect for the law. ps: didn't remember putting it there...maybe stoned when it happened?
Ignatz
Mon, Aug 23, 2010 : 8:57 a.m.
So, the officers let her off with a stern warning? That's justice! (No sarcasm intended)