A Saginaw, Michigan, mother will spend a year in jail after pleading no contest to giving her children THC-infused gummies on several occasions in late 2023 and early 2024.
She had only just been allowed resume overnight visits with her children, ages 6, 10, and 11, when the incidents happened, according to Michigan-based news conglomerate M-Live.
The court sentenced the mother, 34-year-old Stephany Leanette Mogg, on February 23, 2026. Her ex-husband, who had custody of the children, noticed troubling changes in their behavior following visits with Mogg, reporting they were “giggly” and acting odd.
The children admitted what happened
When he asked them, they said Mogg gave them THC-gummies. All three tested positive for THC, the psychoactive compound in cannabis.
In forensic interviews with investigators, the children confirmed that the gummy drugs had not been a one-time incident and said Mogg had given them the THC-infused treats multiple times since she began overnight visits.
During the sentencing hearing, Saginaw County Circuit Judge Manvel Trice III described the effects the gummies had on the children, noting that they experienced “uncontrolled laughing, giggling, hunger, and drowsiness” and struggled to function normally, including in school, reports say.
He stressed that, while there were no life-threatening outcomes, the behavior was serious enough to warrant incarceration, given the vulnerability of the victims. In addition to the year in jail, Mogg will serve three years of probation after her release, during which she is prohibited from using drugs and alcohol.
Prosecutors argued that Mogg’s actions were particularly egregious because she allegedly used the drugged treats as a tool to “calm” her children so she could have “personal time,” M-Live reported. Assistant Prosecutor Marissa Fillmore told the court that jail time was appropriate given the severity of repeatedly exposing young children to an intoxicating drug.
The defense acknowledged Mogg was taking responsibility and expressed a desire to rebuild her relationship with her children. Despite her remorse, the judge ordered her to begin serving her 365-day sentence immediately, and she was taken into custody after the hearing.
THC and kids don’t mix
Experts warn that even small amounts of THC can have serious effects on young children, including impaired coordination, altered perception, drowsiness, rapid heartbeat, and behavioral changes like excessive giggling or agitation.
Long‑term exposure can also impact developing brains, potentially affecting memory, attention, and learning. Pediatricians advise that THC products should never be accessible to children, and state laws increasingly treat giving marijuana to minors as child abuse, regardless of intent.
In a separate but similarly high-profile case that concluded in June 2025, a Denver middle school teacher was convicted of child abuse after distributing marijuana-infused edibles to her students.
According to Fox31 Denver, Sharon M. Wilson, a teacher at Kepner Beacon Middle School, provided THC-infused brownies to several 12-year-old students on June 3, 2024, as a “reward” for a classroom writing contest. According to court testimony, the children felt “out of it,” reporting. nausea, and dizziness.
Published: Feb 28, 2026 10:39 am