Darien police say that when they arrived at a teenager’s party where alcohol was consumed, partygoers told police that they had brought alcohol themselves and the host hadn’t provided it.
The partygoers, all young women, even showed police text messages — but in one of the messages said the host’s mother was fine with having alcohol at the party, according to police.
Police gave this additional information about the incident, including accusations not proven in court:
At about 8:30 p.m. on Sunday, June 25, an anonymous tip alerted police to a party at 17 Goodwives River Road. When police showed up there, they found alcohol and 13 females, ranging in age from 17 to 19.
The host, Alexandra Barnard, who turned 19 that day, at first told police that she had supplied the alcohol, but then retracted that and said the partygoers had each brought their own booze. That’s when other partygoers showed police text messages on their phones showing that some of them had brought alcohol. One text from Barnard said that her mother, Lendy Donnelly, 49, was “okay” with the party.
Donnelly told police she didn’t know anything about drinking going on at the party and said she didn’t give her permission for it.
There was ample evidence showing that the teenagers at the party were drinking, including open bottles of wine and champagne. Police saw numerous plastic cups and other glasses, as well.
Police decided that probable cause existed to charge Barnard with permitting minors to possess alcohol and Donnelly with failing to halt the possession of alcohol by minors. Both charges are misdemeanors, and the mother and daughter were each issued summonses to appear July 6 in state Superior Court in Stamford.
All the underage partygoers were turned over to a parent or other responsible adult.
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See also:
- Who Called the Cops Friday on a Teen Party with Alcohol? The Host! (June 19)
- Police: Teen Hosts Party with Alcohol on Greenwood Ave (June 13)
- Police: Boy, 16, Hosts Party with Alcohol for Teens on Mansfield Ave (May 22)
- When Cops Arrive and Teens Flee Boozy Party, New Haven Line Train Traffic Is Halted (May 15)
- Police: Semi-conscious Girl, 16, Taken to Hospital After Teen Party with Booze (April 24)
- Teens Have Died from Binge Drinking in Darien: Police Officer at Panel Discussion (March 8)
- Commentary: Think Europe Has the Right Approach to Teen Drinking? Here’s Evidence They Don’t (March 16)
- Teen Drinking & Binge Drinking: Dr. Frank Bartolomeo’s Perspective (March 9)
- Drinking in Darien: Former School Resource Officer James Palmieri’s Perspective (March 8)
- Darien Health Dept: How Many of These Risks from Under-Age Drinking Do You Know? (Feb. 19)
- DHS Principal Ellen Dunn on Drugs, Drinking, Disciplining Students and What Parents Can Do (Feb. 12)
- DRINKING IN DARIEN: Worse than Elsewhere for Both Teens and Adults — and the Problem is Growing (Jan. 30)
- Group Launches Campaign to Counter Darien’s ‘Troubling Rate of Teenage Binge Drinking’ (Feb. 2)