SOMERSWORTH, N.H. —Police in New Hampshire have charged a former substitute teacher who they say encouraged middle school students to smoke pot and gave one student a vaping device.

Twenty-year-old Elisha Mahar, of Rochester, was arrested Thursday and charged with four misdemeanor counts of endangering the welfare of a child. It wasn’t immediately known if she had a lawyer and a phone number couldn’t be found for her.

Authorities say a school resource officer at Somersworth Middle School spoke with Somersworth police on Oct. 13 after he learned Mahar had invited students to smoke and given a student a vaping device while she was a substitute teacher.

Interim Superintendent Connie Brown says the school district is cooperating fully with police.

A hearing is scheduled for Dec. 26.


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