Tabitha A. Cassidy
Lexington Park, MD – It was a call from an anonymous tipster that alerted police in St. Mary’s County about a highly suspicious party involving marijuana, documents on file in District Court stated. During the early morning hours of Friday, July 3, Cpl. Keith Moritz responded to the residence on Treetop Road in Lexington Park to check on the welfare of several juveniles reportedly at the house for a birthday party.
Moritz stated in court documents that the anonymous caller had told police that the home’s resident, Tabitha Ann Cassidy, “had supplied and smoked marijuana with several juveniles during a birthday party.”
Cassidy was subsequently charged with four counts each of second-degree child abuse and contributing to the delinquency of a child. She was initially held without bond in the St. Mary’s County Detention Center. On Monday, July 6 Cassidy was released on bond.
Moritz he met Cassidy at the front door. “She freely admitted to smoking marijuana with the juveniles and advised me there was some more marijuana and smoking devices inside her residence,” Moritz stated in court documents. “The defendant [Cassidy] admitted to giving her daughter marijuana for her 13th birthday present. She stated she ‘smoked a bowl’ with her 13-year-old daughter and two of her friends.”
Moritz stated in court documents that the teens “all freely admitted to smoking marijuana with the defendant. They all advised that the defendant supplied the marijuana without being asked to do so, loaded the bowl with marijuana, lit the marijuana and taught them how to inhale.”
Moritz stated that the teens provided written statements about the marijuana use.
A six-year-old boy was present and one of the teens told Moritz that Cassidy “attempted to get him to smoke the bowl [of marijuana] by putting it in his mouth and lighting it in his mouth.”
Moritz stated that the Department of Social Services’ Child Protective Services was contacted. “I was informed that they already have an open case against the defendant for previous unrelated incidents,” Moritz stated.
Cassidy’s children are now in the care and custody of individuals described as witnesses in court documents.
If convicted on all the current charges, Cassidy could face a maximum of 72 years in jail and a $10,000 fine.
Contact Charlie Seifert at news@thebaynet.com
PREVIOUS REPORT FROM THE ST. MARY’S COUNTY SHERIFF’S OFFICE
LEXINGTON PARK, MD – On July 3 at 1:30 a.m. deputies responded to a residence on TreeTop Road in Lexington Park, Maryland to check the welfare of several juveniles at a private residence.
Information was received that the suspect, Tabitha A. Cassidy, 45, of Lexington Park, Maryland had provided marijuana to several juveniles at a birthday party held at Cassidy’s residence.
Contact was made with Cassidy who advised she had provided marijuana to three juveniles ranging in ages from 13 to 14. It was further determined Cassidy had provided marijuana to a 6-year old child by attempting to teach the child how to inhale marijuana through a smoking device.
A search of her residence revealed suspected marijuana and various smoking devices used to ingest controlled dangerous substances.
Cassidy was arrested, charged with four counts of second-degree child abuse, four counts of contributing to delinquency of a minor, possession of marijuana and is currently being held at the St. Mary’s County Detention Center under no bond.