Seventeen marijuana plants were found growing in Bradwell Institute’s greenhouse a few weeks ago, but nobody seems to know for sure how the illegal plants got there or why.

On May 4 around 12:40 p.m., Assistant Principal Mickey Bayens notified a school resource officer that he had spoken with a female student who reportedly was told by a male student that he had planted marijuana seeds in the school’s greenhouse.

“I have been in the system for nine years and this is the first incident that I know of at Bradwell Institute,” Bayens said. “The greenhouse has been on the campus for at least seven years … we are working diligently to set strict parameters for this unfortunate incident to not occur in the future.”

The Hinesville Police Department was notified and a report was filed to document the incident.

“Mr. Bayens stopped a resource officer in the cafeteria and advised that he had received a call from a student, anonymously, about not wanting a teacher to get into trouble. At the SRO office, Mr. Bayens explained further that the female that called told him that (name redacted) had told her that he had planted some marijuana seeds in the school greenhouse,” a Hinesville Police Department report states. “The female did not believe the story until today when she observed what she believes are marijuana plants in several flower pots in the greenhouse.”

The assistant principal, the greenhouse administrator and Hinesville Police Department Cpl. James Shaver inspected the three-inch-tall plants. A MACE representative then was called to Bradwell to collect the plants.

“It could not be determined that (name redacted) in fact planted said plants,” the HPD report states.

The MACE agent found a total of 17 plants throughout the greenhouse.

“Others students identified this student as having shown them the plants — he denies and there is no evidence that can link him to the plants,” Superintendent Dr. Judy Scherer said. “HPD was called and no charges were placed against the student. LCSS had a tribunal and the student was returned to BI on strict probation for the remainder of the year. He is a senior, scheduled to graduate.”