Truants’ parents pay the price for kids’ skipping

Five Terrebonne Parish parents were cited after their children missed school without an excuse more than 20 times, Houma Police said.

During a meeting last Tuesday at the parish courthouse, an officer with the Truancy Reduction Intervention Program (TRIP) met with the adults. Once a student has more than 20 unexcused absences in a single school year, supervising adults are considered to have broken the state’s Mandatory Attendance Law.

Police cited and issued court dates to the following:

• Odelia Voclain, 41, of 508 Saadi St. She was also charged and jailed for a warrant after failing to appear on an improper supervision of a minor charge.

• Rebecca Parfait, 37, of 139 Old Bridge Road, Dulac.

• Laureen Henderson, 43, of 120 Henderson St., Houma.

• Miranda Lecompte, 27, of 104 Heather Court, Chauvin.

• Elaina S. Gourner, 24, of 213 Marietta Place, Houma.

Houma man charged

in marijuana bust

Jesmond Damar Matthews, 18, of 313 Levron St., Houma, was charged early last Tuesday with drug possession following a reported disturbance at the East Park Recreation Center, Houma Police reported.

At the scene, police discovered a large, unruly crowd.

Authorities were given information regarding Matthews’ 1994 Chevy Caprice as a possible suspect.

The vehicle was stopped at Robert Street near Park Avenue. Police found 43 individually wrapped $10 baggies of marijuana inside the car.

The marijuana was seized as evidence, police said.

Matthews was arrested for possession with the intent to distribute marijuana.