San Tan Valley mother accused of smoking weed with her kids

A San Tan Valley mother of four was arrested last week on suspicion of illegally smoking marijuana with her children and other minors, ranging in age from 11 to 16, the Pinal County Sheriff’s Office said.

Jillian Hughes, 34, was arrested by Pinal County sheriff’s detectives May 19.

The investigation began May 5 after a report by a staff member at a San Tan Valley elementary school, according to a statement from the Sheriff's Office. A 14-year-old girl told school staff members that Hughes offered her the illicit drug on March 25 during an overnight stay at her house, the statement said.

The school staff also notified the state Department of Child Services shortly after hearing the girl’s claim.

A DCS investigator was at the school when deputies arrived. Hughes admitted to the DCS investigator during a phone call that she did smoke marijuana with her children and still had marijuana in their house, the Sheriff's Office said.

Deputies and the DCS investigator went to the Hughes residence in San Tan Valley, where they found marijuana, scales and paraphernalia in the master bedroom,  authorities said.

Deputies also found marijuana in her 16-year-old's room, the Sheriff’s Office said.

During the house search, Hughes told deputies the 16-year-old was at school, the 14-year-old was at home and that she did not know the whereabouts of her 11-year-old and 12 year-old children.

Deputies later discovered the  younger children sleeping in a hall closet.

“This case should be shocking to the community for the blatant disregard this mother had for her children’s well-being,” Sheriff Paul Babeu said of the arrest in a statement. “This woman was supposed to be protecting her kids from the dangers of drugs, but instead, provided her own kids and their friends with drugs and allegedly used drugs with her kids.”

DCS took custody of all four children, and detectives impounded the drugs and paraphernalia, the Sheriff’s Office said.