A popular teacher with 18 years' experience in Benicia public schools has pleaded not guilty to "poisoning" her colleagues with marijuana at a Thanksgiving potluck dinner.
Teresa Badger, 47, pleaded not guilty to two misdemeanor counts stemming from the incident Nov. 21. She is accused of serving marijuana-laced food at a fellow teacher's home.
She was arrested Jan. 24. Two women were hospitalized and a child was sickened, according to police.
One female victim was admitted to a hospital for treatment that evening, and another was admitted on Nov. 22 complaining of chest pain and other symptoms, according to Lt. Frank Hartig.
Badger is on leave from her job as a first-grade teacher at Matthew Turner Elementary School. Some of her fellow teachers told police that she admitted to the crime, but police said she did not confess to them.
She was initially charged with felony counts after police concluded a six-week investigation, according to earlier reports.
