The sister of a former Democratic Rhode Island congressman was charged with misdemeanor cocaine possession after a bag containing the drug was allegedly discovered March 12 in an elementary school bathroom, according to reports.
Detectives from the Cranston Police Department arrived at Chester W. Barrows Elementary School at 11:00 a.m. March 12, after the bag of cocaine was allegedly found with a straw by a school nurse on the sink of the nurse’s bathroom, according to NBC 10 News. The nurse, not identified, claimed three adults and two children had used the bathroom that day, but no one noticed the bag containing the drug.
Police indicated the bag tested positive for cocaine and weighed two grams, WPRI reported. No other substances were found in the nurse’s bathroom.
The last adult to reportedly use the bathroom March 12 was Stephanie Cicilline Given, according to NBC 10 News. Given works at the school as a teacher’s assistant, and she is the sister of former Democratic Rhode Island Rep. David Cicilline, sources told NBC 10 News. (RELATED: Blue City Council Members Tackle Self-Checkout Retail Theft By Threatening To Fine Business Owners)
Given asked police if they had found her vape in the bathroom, saying she hadn’t seen it after emptying her purse to do her makeup, according to a police report cited by NBC 10 News. Given spoke with police a second time, allegedly admitting she’d done cocaine before, but never on school property. She reportedly asked what would happen if she said the cocaine was hers. She later told the officer she did not admit that the bag of cocaine belonged to her, according to the outlet.
In addition, Given told police she wanted to speak with an attorney, and police agreed to continue their conversation at headquarters, WPRI reported. Given received the misdemeanor cocaine possession charge at headquarters and is scheduled to appear in court on April 21.
Cranston Public Schools said they were “fully cooperating” with police in a statement reacting to the incident.
“Cranston Police Department promptly conducted a search of the entire building with trained K9 dogs and confirmed that no other drugs were found in the building. The District takes this matter extremely seriously and is fully cooperating with the ongoing police investigation,” the statement shared with WPRI read.
Given’s brother, Cicilline, represented Rhode Island’s First District in Congress from 2011 to 2023. During his time in Congress, he served on the House Foreign Affairs and House Judiciary Committees. Before being elected to Congress, he was the Mayor of Providence, Rhode Island, for eight years.
The Daily Caller contacted the Cranston Police Department, but has not heard back as of publication.