Cops: Darien Parents, Upstairs, Charged After Teens Party with Alcohol Downstairs

After Darien police found more than 15 teenagers, aged 16 to 18 years old, at a party Friday on Palmer Lane with lots of alcohol consumption, the parents of the teenage host were each charged with failure to halt illegal possession of alcohol by a minor, police said.

The parents were each issued misdemeanor summonses to appear in state Superior Court in Stamford on March 7.

The teenagers were each charged with possession of alcohol by a minor, an infraction that carries a $136 fine. And all of their parents were informed, a Police Department policy. The incident is still under investigation and further charges may be filed.

Police gave this description of the incident (including accusations not proven in court):

After police received an anonymous tip that a possible teenage party with drinking was occurring at the home at 11:08 p.m., they went there and, through a partly open door, saw youths inside.

They were met at the front door by a girl, 15, who lives at the house with her parents. The girl seemed intoxicated and police could smell alcohol on her. When she understood why police had shown up, the girl ran off toward West Avenue. Another officer who had just arrived at the scene took her into custody.

The party’s over

The girl’s behavior on learning the cops had arrived was repeated, more or less successfully, by other partygoers. Two males running through a fence broke it and broke a gate door as they successfully escaped in the direction of Noroton Avenue. Another teen left but was apprehended.

About 15 other teenagers moved to the rear door in an effort to scatter, but police stopped them.

In the basement of the house, police smelled the strong odor of alcohol and saw numerous beer cans and a ping-pong table with red cups on it. Police also saw “numerous empty 30-packs of beer,” a department spokesman said. An empty bottle of vodka was also near the ping-pong table.

The officers met with the girl’s parents, who said they had been upstairs on the second floor and were unaware a party was going on downstairs.

The department’s youth division was informed of the situation, and a youth officer was expected to talk with the girl who hosted the party. She told police that she had only invited a few friends, but other teenagers showed up.