6th Child ID'd In Avon Daycare Sex Abuse Probe As Former Employee Faces More Charges 6th Child ID'd In Avon Daycare Sex Abuse Probe As Former Employee Faces More Charges
6th Child ID'd In Avon Daycare Sex Abuse Probe As Former Employee Faces More Charges Police investigating a Connecticut daycare worker accused of sexually assaulting multiple children have identified a sixth alleged victim in the case. Avon police filed a new arrest warrant against Jan Carlos Berrios-Otero, alleging he sexually assaulted a 4-year-old boy who attended the BrightPath Avon Early Learning and Child Care Center. Authorities say the warrant would add charges of fourth-degree sexual assault and risk of injury to a child against the 29-year-old already facing multiple counts of abuse.  Related: Jan Carlos Berrios-Otero Worked At Multiple Connecticut …
Mass Woman Killed In Virginia Bus Crash Was Headed To Long-Awaited Vacation; Among 5 Dead Mass Woman Killed In Virginia Bus Crash Was Headed To Long-Awaited Vacation; Among 5 Dead
Mass Woman Killed In Virginia Bus Crash Was Headed To Long-Awaited Vacation; Among 5 Dead A Massachusetts woman killed in the deadly Virginia charter bus crash was looking forward to a long-awaited Florida vacation and promised a friend she would call when she arrived.  That call never came. Priscilla R. Mafalda, 25, of Worcester, was identified as the fifth victim killed in the crash on I-95 near Quantico, Virginia. The wreck happened early Friday morning as travelers made their way south. A family of four from Greenfield, Massachusetts, was also killed.  The day before the crash, Mafalda shared her excitement about the trip in a text message to her friend and c…
CT Painter's Body Found Hidden Under Mattress In Mass Greenhouse; Friend Charged In Killing CT Painter's Body Found Hidden Under Mattress In Mass Greenhouse; Friend Charged In Killing
CT Painter's Body Found Hidden Under Mattress In Mass Greenhouse; Friend Charged In Killing A dead body hidden beneath a mattress in a greenhouse led police to arrest a Massachusetts painter now charged with murdering a Connecticut man after he returned to the scene covered in blood, officials said.  Cole Bushnell, 41, of Sheffield, was arraigned Tuesday, June 2, in Great Barrington District Court on a murder charge in the death of Michael Moore, a 40-year-old from Winsted, the Berkshire County District Attorney's Office said. Bushnell is being held without bail and was ordered to have no contact with witnesses in the case. Police began investigating on Monday after a worker …
Teen Accused Of Injuring 2 Troopers In I-91 Enfield Crash Deported, Charges Dropped Teen Accused Of Injuring 2 Troopers In I-91 Enfield Crash Deported, Charges Dropped
Joel Caiza Nishve Was Deported Following Enfield Crash A teenager accused of crashing into two Connecticut State Police troopers on I-91 and seriously injuring them will no longer face charges in Connecticut after being deported from the United States, authorities said. Joel Alexander Caiza Nishve, 18, was charged following a crash on the interstate in Enfield that injured Troopers Christopher Genovese and Matthew Cerri last summer.  The Ecuador native had entered the United States illegally in 2023, according to federal authorities. ICE officials told reporters that Caiza Nishve was taken into custody on Aug. 8 in Hartford.  His ICE…
CT Man Charged With Sexually Assaulting Juvenile After Months-Long Investigation: Police CT Man Charged With Sexually Assaulting Juvenile After Months-Long Investigation: Police
CT Man Charged With Sexually Assaulting Juvenile After Months-Long Investigation: Police A Connecticut man has been arrested and charged with sexually assaulting a child in North Branford, authorities said. Oscar Ramirez, 39, of Meriden, was charged this week with two counts of first-degree sexual assault stemming from a complaint made in April 2025, North Branford police said. Authorities said Ramirez was held in custody and arraigned in New Haven. North Branford Police Chief James Lovelace praised the agencies and professionals who worked on the case for months. "The successful resolution of this case is a testament to the importance of collaboration between law enforcemen…
Man Admits Role In CT Lamborghini Kidnapping Plot Tied To Stolen Bitcoin Fortune: Feds Man Admits Role In CT Lamborghini Kidnapping Plot Tied To Stolen Bitcoin Fortune: Feds
Man Admits Role In CT Lamborghini Kidnapping Plot Tied To Stolen Bitcoin Fortune: Feds A plot to steal cryptocurrency worth millions ended with a brutal carjacking and kidnapping in Connecticut, and one of the men accused of helping organize the scheme has now admitted his role in federal court. Adam Iza, 25, of California, pleaded guilty Monday, June 1, in federal court to conspiracy to interfere with commerce by robbery, also known as Hobbs Act robbery, according to the U.S. Attorney's Office for the District of Connecticut. He faces up to 20 years in prison and is scheduled to be sentenced Aug. 12. Federal authorities said the case stems from a brazen kidnapping and carjac…
Murder Charge Filed After Body Found In Home Near CT Border, Suspect Returns To Scene: DA Murder Charge Filed After Body Found In Home Near CT Border, Suspect Returns To Scene: DA
Murder Charge Filed After Body Found In Home Near CT Border, Suspect Returns To Scene: DA Authorities have arrested a 41-year-old man and accused him of murder after police say they found a body inside an Ashley Falls home in Western Massachusetts. Cole Bushnell, 41, of Sheffield, was arrested after police found the body on Monday, June 1, at a home in Ashley Falls, a village in Sheffield. The Berkshire County District Attorney's Office said Bushnell was scheduled to be arraigned Tuesday on a murder charge. Witnesses called police shortly after 1:30 p.m. to report finding a dead body at 546 Polikoff Road. While Sheffield police were investigating, Bushnell returned to …
Bomb Squad Called After Police Find WWII-Era Mortar In Enfield Home During Threat Investigation Bomb Squad Called After Police Find WWII-Era Mortar In Enfield Home During Threat Investigation
Bomb Squad Called After Police Find Wwii-era Mortar In Enfield Home During Threat Investigation A threat investigation involving workers at a new Amazon facility led police to a Connecticut home where officers found what appeared to be a World War II-era mortar round, prompting a bomb squad response and a temporary shelter-in-place order. Officers were called to a man's name on Lake Drive in Enfield on Monday, June 1, after authorities said he had threatened violence toward workers at a nearby Amazon jobsite, police said. Authorities have not released his name.  Enfield officers went to the man's home, but he initially refused to cooperate with investigators.  However, he e…
5-Year-Old Connecticut Girl Dies After Fall From Backyard Playscape: Police 5-Year-Old Connecticut Girl Dies After Fall From Backyard Playscape: Police
5-Year-Old Connecticut Girl Dies After Fall From Backyard Playscape: Police A Connecticut community is grieving after a 5-year-old girl died from injuries suffered in a fall from a playscape at a home in Harwinton, according to Connecticut State Police. Olivia Videtto, a kindergarten student at Harwinton Consolidated School, was injured around 1:45 p.m. Sunday, May 31, authorities said. She was airlifted to Connecticut Children’s Medical Center for treatment.  State police learned early Monday, June 1, that Olivia had died from her injuries. The incident remains under investigation. Region 10 Public Schools Superintendent Fran Thompson shared a messa…
47 Families Lose Homes In Major CT Apartment Fire; Town Launches Donation Drive 47 Families Lose Homes In Major CT Apartment Fire; Town Launches Donation Drive
47 Families Lose Homes In Major CT Apartment Fire; Town Launches Donation Drive More than four dozen families are scrambling to recover after a destructive Connecticut apartment fire forced them from their homes, and town officials are asking the community to step up and help. The Town of Groton is collecting donations for the 47 families displaced by the fire at the Ledges apartments early Sunday morning, May 31. In a social media post, the town said its Human Services Department is accepting donations of food, gift cards, cash, and cleaning supplies. Officials said clothing donations are not being accepted at this time until specific needs are identified. The fir…
PA Officer Killed Responding To Call, Department Says PA Officer Killed Responding To Call, Department Says
PA Officer Killed Responding To Call, Department Says A police officer was killed while responding to an emergency call Friday, May 29, after her patrol vehicle left the roadway and struck a tree, according to Pennsylvania State Police. Central Berks Police Officer Kristen Yeager, 42, a married mom of three from Boyertown, was responding with emergency lights and sirens activated when the crash occurred on West Philadelphia Avenue near Manatawny Road in Earl Township, state police said. According to investigators, Yeager's patrol vehicle traveled off the paved portion of the roadway, crossed the grass shoulder, entered a ditch, and struck a tr…
CT Man Pleads Guilty After 46 Pounds Of Cocaine Found Hidden Under SUV Seats: Feds CT Man Pleads Guilty After 46 Pounds Of Cocaine Found Hidden Under SUV Seats: Feds
CT Man Pleads Guilty After 46 Pounds Of Cocaine Found Hidden Under SUV Seats: Feds A Connecticut man has admitted to transporting nearly 50 pounds of cocaine after investigators found hidden compartments packed with narcotics beneath the front seats of his vehicle. Reginald Rogers, 37, of Woodbridge, pleaded guilty Wednesday, May 27,  in federal court to possession with intent to distribute five kilograms or more of cocaine, according to the US Attorney's Office for the District of Connecticut. The charge carries a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years in prison. Rogers also agreed to forfeit the vehicle used to transport the drugs. The case stems from a Feb. 23 Co…
CT Child, 4, Suffers Head Injury After Mom Mistakenly Strikes Them With Vehicle In CVS Lot CT Child, 4, Suffers Head Injury After Mom Mistakenly Strikes Them With Vehicle In CVS Lot
CT Child, 4, Suffers Head Injury After Mom Mistakenly Strikes Them With Vehicle In CVS Lot A 4-year-old child suffered a traumatic head injury after being struck by a vehicle driven by the child's mother in a Meriden CVS parking lot earlier this week. Police responded to the pharmacy at 153 Broad St. around 5:15 p.m. Thursday, May 28, after witnesses reported seeing a bleeding child being placed into a vehicle that then left the lot at a high rate of speed, authorities said. When officers arrived, they found evidence of an injury in the parking lot and soon learned the child was being treated at MidState Medical Center before being transferred to Connecticut Children's Hospital i…
Body Found In Connecticut River Near Marina; Investigation Underway Body Found In Connecticut River Near Marina; Investigation Underway
Body Found In Connecticut River Near Marina; Investigation Underway A body found in the Connecticut River near has sparked a multi-agency inbestigation, authorities said.  Connecticut State Police and the Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection responded to Chester Point Marina on Thursday afternoon after the body was discovered in the water.  On Friday, DEEP officials said South Windsor Police are leading the investigation. According to DEEP, the body was found on or near Selden Island in Lyme, across the river from Chester Point Marina. Police did not identify the victim or speculate on their cause of death. But officials…
Mass National Guard Truck Flips, Bursts Into Flames On I-84 In Connecticut Mass National Guard Truck Flips, Bursts Into Flames On I-84 In Connecticut
Mass National Guard Truck Flips, Bursts Into Flames On I-84 In Connecticut A Massachusetts National Guard truck overturned and burst into flames on Interstate 84, sending two service members to the hospital and shutting down part of the highway during the evening commute. The crash happened just after 6 p.m. Wednesday, May 27, near Exit 71 in Willington, according to Connecticut State Police. Police said the military truck flipped onto its passenger side while traveling westbound. The driver and passenger suffered minor injuries and were taken to the hospital. The National Guard later identified the vehicle as an M1075A2 Palletized Load System truck. Officials sa…
Third Teen Charged In Waterbury Murder Of Hartford 20-Year-Old Third Teen Charged In Waterbury Murder Of Hartford 20-Year-Old
Third Teen Charged In Waterbury Murder Of Hartford 20-Year-Old Three Connecticut teenagers have been charged with the deadly shooting of a 20-year-old man earlier this month.  The trio is accused of killing Daniel Peart, who police said was found with a gunshot wound to the head in the 100 block of Easton Avenue in Waterbury around 3:14 a.m. on May 6.  Peart was pronounced dead at the scene.  Saron McKenna, a 17-year-old, was arraigned Thursday after his case was moved from juvenile court. He was being held on $3 million bond, police said.  Mckenna is charged with: Murder Reckless endangerment Illegal transfer/purchase of a…
Ex-BrightPath Avon Worker Accused Of Assaulting Children Hit With Possible New Charges Ex-BrightPath Avon Worker Accused Of Assaulting Children Hit With Possible New Charges
Ex-BrightPath Avon Worker Accused Of Assaulting Children Hit With Possible New Charges New charges could soon be added against a former Avon daycare worker accused of sexually assaulting young children in his care. Jan Carlos Berrios Otero, 29, is already facing charges tied to the alleged abuse of five children at BrightPath Early Learning and Child Care Center in Avon. Investigators said the incidents happened during March. Now, Avon officials say two more arrest warrants have been sent to a judge for review, WTHN reported.  Related: Jan Carlos Berrios Otero Worked At Multiple Connecticut Daycares, Company Says A town spokesperson said Thursday that each warrant…
CT Woman Accused Of Helping Cover Up Intentional Deadly Hit-And-Run CT Woman Accused Of Helping Cover Up Intentional Deadly Hit-And-Run
CT Woman Accused Of Helping Cover Up Intentional Deadly Hit-And-Run A Connecticut woman is now facing charges months after a deadly hit-and-run that police say was no accident. Loumary Laclaustra, of Meriden, turned herself in months after investigators determined she allegedly played a role in the death of 26-year-old Wilfredo Rivera-Rivera, according to police. Multiple people called 911 on December 13 after seeing a car run over a man in the Broad Street and Twiss Avenue area of Meriden before speeding away.  Police and paramedics raced to the scene and rushed Rivera-Rivera to MidState Medical Center, where he later died of his injuries.&…
5 Arrested After Fights Erupt At CT High School, Shelter-In-Place Ordered 5 Arrested After Fights Erupt At CT High School, Shelter-In-Place Ordered
5 Arrested After Fights Erupt At CT High School, Shelter-In-Place Ordered Two parents and three students were arrested, and a Connecticut high school issued a shelter-in-place order after multiple fights broke out, police said.   Officers were called to West Haven High School on Wednesday morning, May 27, after several fights broke out between juveniles inside the building, police said.  The situation escalated when two female parents of students involved in the fights arrived at the school and began causing a disturbance while trying to get involved, police said. School administrators ordered a shelter-in-place as the fights unfolded. Polic…
Teen Turns Himself In Months After Repeatedly Stabbing Man During CT Bar Brawl: Police Teen Turns Himself In Months After Repeatedly Stabbing Man During CT Bar Brawl: Police
Teen Turns Himself In Months After Repeatedly Stabbing Man During CT Bar Brawl: Police A violent fight inside a Connecticut bar left one man seriously wounded and sparked a months-long police investigation that ended with an 18-year-old turning himself in, authorities said. Cristofer Isreal Vasquez-Lequi, 18, is charged with first-degree assault in the Aug. 31, 2025, stabbing at El Imperio Disk Bar on Springdale Avenue in Meriden, according to police. Police said officers began investigating around 1:20 a.m. after a man arrived at MidState Medical Center with several serious stab wounds. Investigators later determined the stabbing happened during a physical altercation invol…
CT Doctor Charged After Son’s Suicide; Ghost Gun, Unsecured Weapons Found In Bedroom: Cops CT Doctor Charged After Son’s Suicide; Ghost Gun, Unsecured Weapons Found In Bedroom: Cops
CT Doctor Charged After Son’s Suicide; Ghost Gun, Unsecured Weapons Found In Bedroom: Cops A 70-year-old Connecticut doctor with a tragic family history is facing criminal charges after police said unsecured guns were found inside the home where his son died from a self-inflicted gunshot wound. It's the second son he's lost to gun violence. His 8-year-old son died following an accident at a Massachusetts gun show in 2008.  The Connecticut investigation began shortly after midnight on March 13, when troopers responded to a home on Hillside Road in Ashford for a reported shooting. Police found a 28-year-old man dead inside a first-floor bedroom, according to Connecticut State P…
'Inattentive' Driver Charged In Fatal Connecticut Crash That Killed Veteran, Father Of 4: Cops 'Inattentive' Driver Charged In Fatal Connecticut Crash That Killed Veteran, Father Of 4: Cops
'Inattentive' Driver Charged In Fatal Connecticut Crash That Killed Veteran, Father Of 4: Cops Authorities say the man accused of causing a fatal Connecticut head-on collision last year wasn't paying attention when he crashed into a 63-year-old US Navy veteran and father of four. Ryan Pulcini, 33, of Middletown, was charged Wednesday, May 27, with negligent homicide with a motor vehicle in the June 2025 death of Robert Jones, of Chester, Connecticut State Police said. The collision happened around 6:27 a.m. at the intersection of Essex Road/Route 153 and Pettipaug Road in Westbrook. Pulcini's Jeep Wagoneer was traveling south when it crossed the center line and struck Jones' Nissan A…
Motorcyclist Killed In Crash With SUV At CT Intersection Motorcyclist Killed In Crash With SUV At CT Intersection
Motorcyclist Killed In Crash With SUV At CT Intersection A motorcyclist was killed earlier this week in a crash with an SUV, authorities said.  The fatal wreck happened around 7:50 p.m. at the intersection of Durham Road and Overbrook Road in Madison on Tuesday, May 26, according to police. The rider died at the scene.  Police have not released the motorcyclist's identity. Authorities said they are waiting to notify the victim’s family. Yorke did not say how the motorcycle and SUV collided or which direction the vehicles were traveling at the time of the crash. Madison police are investigating alongside the South-Central Connecti…
Naugatuck Woman Admits Role In Stolen 'Check Washing' Bank Fraud Scheme, Feds Say Naugatuck Woman Admits Role In Stolen 'Check Washing' Bank Fraud Scheme, Feds Say
Naugatuck Woman Admits Role In Stolen 'Check Washing' Bank Fraud Scheme, Feds Say A 23-year-old Connecticut woman admitted to her role in a bank fraud scheme tied to stolen checks taken from the U.S. Mail, federal prosecutors said. Gianna Parente, of Naugatuck, waived her right to indictment and pleaded guilty to bank fraud on Tuesday, May 26, according to US Attorney David X. Sullivan and the US Postal Inspection Service Boston Division. The charge carries a maximum sentence of 30 years in prison. Authorities said the scheme ran from about July 2022 through February 2023. According to court documents, Parente and others recruited people known as “runners” to hand over …
Gunman Who Terrorized CT Gas Stations During COVID Pandemic Sentenced To Decades: Feds Gunman Who Terrorized CT Gas Stations During COVID Pandemic Sentenced To Decades: Feds
Gunman Who Terrorized CT Gas Stations During COVID Pandemic Sentenced To Decades: Feds A convicted felon who terrorized Connecticut gas station workers during the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic will spend nearly three decades behind bars after a violent robbery spree that stretched across multiple towns. William Rosario Lopez, 40, of New Haven, was sentenced on Tuesday, May 26, to 29 years in prison and five years of supervised release, said U.S. Attorney for the District of Connecticut David X. Sullivan. Federal prosecutors said the robberies happened in March 2020, when many workers were already facing fear and uncertainty during the pandemic. Investigators said Rosar…
Wethersfield Mom, Son Charged After ‘Rescued’ Abused Dog Turns Out To Be Their Own Wethersfield Mom, Son Charged After ‘Rescued’ Abused Dog Turns Out To Be Their Own
Wethersfield Mom, Son Charged After ‘Rescued’ Abused Dog Turns Out To Be Their Own A Connecticut mother and her son are accused of lying to police after claiming they found a badly abused dog on the side of a busy highway, authorities said. Investigators say they hurt the dog.  The case began on April 5, when 38-year-old Melanie Amaral drove to Wethersfield Police headquarters with her 20-year-old son, Jeremiah Santiago, according to the officers. The pair told officers they found the dog on Silas Deane Highway. Wethersfield Animal Control responded and discovered the dog was in terrible shape. Police said the animal showed signs of neurological distress, was underw…
2 Children Hurt During Boat Fire On Connecticut Lake On Memorial Day 2 Children Hurt During Boat Fire On Connecticut Lake On Memorial Day
2 Children Hurt During Boat Fire On Connecticut Lake On Memorial Day A boat caught fire on Candlewood Lake on Memorial Day, injuring two children and forcing six people to evacuate the vessel, officials said. Firefighters were called to the Danbury Boat Launch around 4 p.m. Monday, May 25, after reports of a boat fire, according to Danbury authorities.  All six people on board evacuated safely with help from the Candlewood Lake Authority, officials said. Two children were taken to the hospital. One suffered minor burn injuries. Another was evaluated as a precaution. Fire officials described the injuries as “very minor.” Crews extinguished the fire wit…
Motorcyclist Killed After Violent I-91 Windsor Crash Throws Him Into Opposite Lanes Motorcyclist Killed After Violent I-91 Windsor Crash Throws Him Into Opposite Lanes
Motorcyclist Killed After Violent I-91 Windsor Crash Throws Him Into Opposite Lanes A Massachusetts man was killed after being ejected from his motorcycle during a crash with a pickup truck on I-91 in Connecticut on Memorial Day, police said. Juan Miguel Martinez, 26, of North Hampton, Massachusetts, was killed following the 8:30 p.m. crash south of Exit 39 north in Windsor, Connecticut State Police said. According to investigators, Martinez's 2010 Ducati Streetfighter rear-ended a 2019 Toyota Tacoma, sending the motorcycle into a jersey barrier. The impact launched him from the bike, and he landed in the southbound lanes. Paramedics rushed him to Hartford Hospital, where…
Former Rocky Hill Police Chief, Decorated Military Veteran Dies Former Rocky Hill Police Chief, Decorated Military Veteran Dies
Former Rocky Hill Police Chief, Decorated Military Veteran Dies A former Connecticut police chief remembered for his compassion, military service, and decades of dedication to protecting his community has died.  George Marinelli, who served as Rocky Hill’s police chief for 10 years, died Sunday, May 24, at 81, according to the Rocky Hill Police Department. Authorities did not release his cause of death.  Marinelli spent more than three decades in law enforcement in Rocky Hill. During that time, he worked as a patrolman, youth officer, and K-9 officer before becoming chief. He retired in 2002. The department said Marinelli “continued his dedic…
CT Woman Convicted In 3rd OUI After Crashing Into House Days After Christmas CT Woman Convicted In 3rd OUI After Crashing Into House Days After Christmas
CT Woman Convicted In 3rd OUI After Crashing Into House Days After Christmas A Connecticut woman with two prior drunken driving convictions has now been found guilty in her third DUI case after prosecutors said she crashed into an occupied home.  Melissa Page, 44, of Willington, was convicted this week of operating under the influence as a third offender, according to Tolland Judicial District State’s Attorney Craig P. Nowak. Prosecutors said Page crashed her vehicle into a residence on Lakeview Drive in Coventry on Dec. 28, 2024. There were people inside at the time of the crash.  Page has two previous operating under the influence convictions from …
Ex-East Lyme Police Chief Arrested Again After Domestic Dispute, Adding To Troubling History Ex-East Lyme Police Chief Arrested Again After Domestic Dispute, Adding To Troubling History
Ex-East Lyme Police Chief Arrested Again After Domestic Dispute, Adding To Troubling History A former Connecticut police chief with a history of domestic violence arrests is facing yet another criminal charge after police said officers responded to a domestic dispute at his home. Michael Finkelstein, the former East Lyme police chief, was arrested Friday morning, May 22, on a charge of disorderly conduct, according to East Lyme police. Police were called to a Marion Drive home in East Lyme for a reported domestic dispute. After speaking with family members who were there during the incident, officers arrested Finkelstein and took him into custody. Authorities did not release detai…