Darien Mom Accused Of Hiding Teens' Intoxication Denies Charge

DARIEN, CT — A 45-year-old Darien woman was charged with interfering with an investigation by Darien police over the weekend after the woman's "deceptive" behavior impeded a police investigation into intoxicated teens, according to authorities. One girl, 16, was so intoxicated that that she required a trip to a nearby hospital for evaluation.

The mother of that teen called police and POST 53 after her daughter had been dropped off at their home in that condition just after 1 a.m. on Sunday.

According to police, Darien resident Amanda Smith, of Gardiner Street, had dropped the girl off at the girl's home and left. Smith's daughter and the heavily intoxicated girl are friends and had been together with at least two other girls at another home that evening, police said.

Concerned that there may have been other teens in similar condition, Darien police officers went to Smith's home to find out where the girls had been partying.

"When asked, Smith informed officers that she was unaware of where the 4 girls she picked up had been," stated Darien police. "Smith initially wouldn't allow officers to speak with her daughter, but ultimately allowed it after officers explained the possibility of more juveniles being in need of medical assistance. The girls were unwilling to disclose the location. When Smith was asked a second time where the girls were picked up, she told officers it had been on the side of Sunswyck Road. Smith further refused to accompany officers to the area in an attempt to locate the residence. The juveniles were turned over the custody of their parents, at which time one of the parents gave officers the location of the residence.

Once at the undisclosed residence, police discovered that the girls had been there earlier in the evening, but there was no evidence of alcohol at the residence, nor other intoxicated teens.

"The [people] on scene explained that when the intoxicated female became incapacitated, one of the people present contacted Amanda Smith. Smith responded to the residence, pulled into the driveway, assisted in carrying the unconscious teen to her vehicle, and departed. The [people] on scene told officers that the attendees are all friends.

"It was determined that officers had been delayed almost an hour since initially contacting Smith due to her refusal to cooperate," police stated. "It was also determined that Smith had been deceptive in regards to the events of the evening and her participation in those events."

In a statement to Patch, Mark Sherman, Smith's Stamford-based attorney, adamantly denied that Smith was trying to conceal any information from police.

"As the reports will confirm, Amanda's priority was working with first responders to get this individual immediate medical attention," Sherman said, adding that he expects a quick and fair resolution in court.

Smith was issued a misdemeanor summons for the above mentioned offense and was released on a promise to appear in Stamford Superior Court on May 23.

Darien police added that the incident remains under investigation.