PTA member voices support after teacher charged in fentanyl-related death

SILVER SPRING, Maryland. – On Wednesday morning, a parent council member expressed support for a Montgomery County Public Schools elementary school teacher who was recently arrested and charged in connection with a fentanyl-related death.

The teacher arrested and charged has been identified as 34-year-old Sarah K. Magid. She is suspended from Dr. Charles R. Drew Elementary School pending her possible trial.

Montgomery County police arrested Magid on a warrant at her Burtonsville home last Monday. She faces five charges related to violations of state drug laws.

Montgomery County Police said the investigation began on March 25 when a man died in his Washington, D.C., home. Police also identified the victim as a resident of a facility that provides treatment for drug and alcohol abusers.

READ MORE: Maryland: First-grader arrested in connection with fentanyl-related death

According to court documents, the man's family searched his phone after his death and told investigators they discovered text messages from a number stored under the name “Sarah” that involved several drug deals.

At one point in January, “Sarah” is quoted as saying something about a particular pill:

“And they are strong”

“So you better do half”

“Because they are damn good”

The instruction to take half a pill suggests Magid is aware of the dangers of fentanyl trafficking, police said. Other communications included in court documents allegedly mention Magid selling her stash and consuming it herself.

Police allege that Magid continued to send messages to the victim after his death until a family member responded to the chat two days later. According to court documents, the messages included: “This is [Victim 1’s] Sister. He died. You should [expletive] kill yourself.”

Some of “Sarah’s” responses are documented as: “I teach” and “Don’t blame me for your brother’s choices.” The account also denied allegations that they sold to the victim.

Tyeshia Delemos, treasurer of Dr. Charles R. Drew Elementary School, tells FOX 5 she reacted differently to the news of the arrest.

“I'm concerned about how she handled the kids. And she was great with my son. I know that's a big story now, but it doesn't change how great a teacher she was,” said Delemos, who described her son being sent to Magid's class several times. “He was in her class a lot, like at parties and in her class for ESY, which is summer school, and she was great with him. And my son has autism, and you know it takes special people to handle kids with special needs, and she did a great job of that.”

“I don't know if she's guilty, that's for the police and the lawyers to figure out. I'm just focused on what impact it had on her students,” added Delemos, who told FOX 5 that the school is now desperately trying to find a long-term replacement for Magid before MCPS has its first day of school on Aug. 26.

Delemos tells FOX 5 that when Magid came to work, she performed. FOX 5 referenced the January 2023 fentanyl crisis within MCPS and asked if she thought the school could have done anything differently. Delemos responded that he didn't think so, because when Magid came to work, she always performed.

Montgomery County Parents Coalition Chair Janis Zink Sartucci told FOX 5's Sierra Fox she has a number of concerns.

“It's a scary situation and the allegations are certainly worrying for parents. The first thing they want to know is whether it has had an impact on classes and their children,” Sartucci said in an interview.

The MCPS student representative also expressed disappointment that this case was not addressed at the school board meeting the previous evening.

“This would have been a perfect opportunity for the MCPS Chief of Security and the police to jointly write an announcement about this arrest and get everything out there so that parents understand exactly what is going on and know how the school system responds to situations like this,” she added.

Fox says a spokesperson for the school responded that they couldn't say much more because it was a personnel matter. FOX 5 is aware that there are certain privacy laws that must be followed in personnel matters.

Magid appeared for a bail hearing on Tuesday and is due back in court on September 13.