25 Investigation: Hingham Middle School substitute teacher arrested

25 Investigates has learned that a substitute teacher at Hingham Middle School was arrested last week.

A Hingham Police spokesperson confirmed that Charlotte Cody, 55, of Scituate, was called to the school office and taken into custody without incident on Friday, October 27, around 10 a.m.

The public police record shows that Cody was arrested on a warrant filed in the state’s Warrant Management System.

A police spokesman said the arrest warrant was related to a probation violation from the Hingham District Court, but no other information about the case was immediately available. 25 investigators requested a copy of the arrest report.

Investigators also sent an email to Hingham Schools Superintendent Margaret Adams, EdD, asking to know if a criminal background check had been performed on Cody before she was hired and when parents were first alerted to the incident.

Information we have received from police indicates that this concerns matters outside the Hingham community.

Although personnel matters are confidential and the details of these matters may not be discussed, we take the safety of students and staff very seriously. In this case, the district followed all normal hiring procedures and processes.

Massachusetts law requires that all schools conduct a criminal background check (CORI) on current and prospective employees.

Parents who contacted 25 Investigates reporter Ted Daniel said Dr. Adams sent an email about the arrest today. According to a copy of the email, no students witnessed the arrest.

“The information we have received from police indicates that this concerns matters outside the Hingham community,” Adams wrote in the letter to the school community. “Although personnel matters are confidential and the details of these matters may not be discussed, we take the safety of students and staff very seriously. In this case, the district followed all normal hiring procedures and processes.”

The court ordered Cody to wear a GPS monitoring device, and she failed to schedule a mental health evaluation for trespassing and attempted crime outside Scituate, 25 Investigates has learned.

“Cody is well known to the department and is currently in court for several trespassing incidents involving Scituate High School and her daughter,” police wrote in court documents in September.

The documents also indicated that Cody was arrested in early October on animal cruelty charges in Scituate after several dogs were found living in filth in her Kent Street home.

“I could smell a strong, strong odor of urine and feces. The ammonia level in the air was high enough to impede breathing,” a police officer wrote in an incident report obtained by 25 Investigators. “The home had unsafe living conditions and was in disarray.” Complete. The floors were covered in a layer of urine and feces.”

At least three beagles were removed from the home’s inappropriately sized kennels and taken to the Scituate Animal Shelter, according to police. Veterinarians said the dogs were emaciated, had a foul odor, had spots on their fur, and had long nails that prevented them from walking comfortably.

Documents showed that Cody also had a history of mental illness and had previously been diagnosed with bipolar disorder and paranoid schizophrenia.

“The evidence overwhelmingly demonstrated that the mother had long-term mental health problems and that when she was not taking medication, she developed paranoia and delusion,” the Department of Children and Families wrote in a report.

The investigation is ongoing.

This is a developing story. Check back for updates when more information is available.

download The free Boston 25 News app For breaking news alerts.

Follow Boston 25 News on Facebook And Twitter. | Watch Boston 25 News now