In separate cases, two women have been charged for contributing to the delinquency of a minor for writing false doctor's notes to excuse a student in skipping school at Prairie Grove High School, according to reports from Prairie Grove Police Department.
School Resource Officer David Faulk investigated the allegations.
Jennifer Elizabeth McKnight, 37, of Prairie Grove, was cited May 19 for misdemeanor contributing to the delinquency of a minor. Reports state she was forging doctor's notes for her daughter. The police report states the student missed about 33 days with false doctor's notes.
In the other case, Laura Amerson, 36, with a Farmington address, was cited May 1 for misdemeanor contributing to the delinquency of a minor for providing a forged doctor's note as an excuse for one of her daughter's friends.
According to the police report on McKnight, Faulk received an anonymous tip in February that a high school student was turning in false doctor's notes. He looked at eight doctor's notes from Washington Regional Medical Center for the student from August 2016 to January. The nurse's signatures on the notes seemed suspicious, Faulk reported.
A hospital representative said the student had not been a patient at the hospital or any of its clinics and research did not find that any of the doctor's notes were valid, the report states. The hospital also stated that none of the signatures on the notes matched any doctors or nurses in the facilities.
McKnight, according to the hospital, had previously worked for Washington Regional and was in good standing when she left.
The report on Amerson's case states the complaint came from Prairie Grove High School that a doctor's note turned in by a student did not appear to be real. The doctor's note came from Willow Creek Women's Clinic, the report states. A representative from the clinic said the student had not been a patient at the clinic.
According to the report, the investigation showed that Amerson, who works for Willow Creek, apparently provided a doctor's note for missing school at the request of the student. The report also states that during an interview on May 1, Amerson admitted to giving the note to her daughter's friend.
Amerson was given a June 6 court date in Prairie Grove District Court.
McKnight has a June 13 court date in District Court.
General News on 05/31/2017