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School Security Officer Accused of Stealing Student’s Medication

EAST STROUDSBURG — A security officer in the East Stroudsburg School District is accused of stealing a student’s prescription medicine. Investigator...

EAST STROUDSBURG -- A security officer in the East Stroudsburg School District is accused of stealing a student's prescription medicine.

Investigators believe Karen Palaia, 56, of Bangor stole a student's prescription medication from a locked cabinet in a school nurse's office.

Authorities say the theft happened at East Stroudsburg High School South, where Palaia worked as a security guard.

Palaia is confident she will be cleared of these charges.

"It will be vindicated. I'm not worried about it at all, honey," Palaia said. "I'm not worried about it at all. I have an attorney and I'm sure everything will be fine and I'll be back to work shortly."

The Monroe County District Attorney's Office began investigating in January. A parent reported some of his daughter's medication was stolen. That medication, Adderall, was kept in a locked cabinet the nurse's office. Adderall is commonly used to combat hyperactivity.

According to court documents, the inventory list from the nurse's office from December 9 shows there were 41 pills of Adderall in that bottle. However on the next day, December 10, the inventory list shows there were only 29.

Court documents indicate a review of the surveillance video shows Palaia going into the medicine cabinet the evening of December 9.

Investigators say she stole those 12 pills.

Parents and students say it is upsetting to hear a school employee would steal a student's prescription medication.

"When you have somebody appointed to take care of the kids doing something like that, it's definitely not a good thing," said parent Ricky Alvey.

"I figure that the security guards and the teachers would actually be role models for us instead of doing things that we're told not to do, like taking another student's medication," freshman Karissa Alvey said.

The superintendent could not comment on Palaia's arrest or employment status saying it is a personnel matter.

Palaia has a preliminary hearing on March 29.

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