Dad sends child to school with backpack full of pot | Crime

St. Petersburg, Florida -- The father of a kindergarten student was arrested Tuesday after a teacher found marijuana in his child's backpack.

Authorities say once the child's father, 25-year-old Larry Stephens, realized he had left the marijuana and scale in the backpack he went back to Campbell Park Elementary School and tried to get it back, but it was too late. The child had already shown it to a teacher who turned it in to the principal.

While officers were out looking for Stephens, he got his lawyer and turned himself in.

According to the arrest affidavit, Stephens told a witness at the school he came back for the pot because he uses it to "take care of his business and take care of his family". However, police say Stephens told them he only uses it for personal use.

The amount of marijuana found in the backpack weighed in at 89 grams.

Stephens is being charged with Child Abuse and Possession of Marijuana with the Intent to Sell. Police say Stephens has a lengthy criminal history involving drugs and was just released from prison in March of this year. 

The child was released to his mother.