GoFundMe Pulls Page For Darien's Scott Hapgood: Update

(Editor's Note: After the publication of this story, the GoFundMe page was removed by the charity website for violating its terms of service, according to the Darien Times and other publications)

DARIEN, CT — In just five days online, a GoFundMe page has raised more than $225,000 to go toward a defense fund for Darien resident Scott Hapgood, the married father-of-three who is facing a manslaughter charge from an altercation at a hotel in Anguilla in April.

The page was created by family friend Catherine Prichard, and as of Monday afternoon, 423 people had pledged donations. Organizers hope to reach $400,000 in donations.

"Please help Scott and his family as they fight to regain the life they worked so hard to build," the page reads. "Funds raised will be exclusively directed towards legal, administrative, travel-related, and personal security expenses associated with the recent tragedy in the Hapgoods life."

The Prichard family will administer the funds, and will donate any leftover money - after the legal obligations are met - to the Darien-based charity organization Person-to-Person, organizers said.

Hapgood is facing a manslaughter charge in connection with the April killing of Kenny Mitchel, a worker at the Malliouhana hotel, following an altercation between the two in the Hapgood's room, in front of his two daughters. Hapgood has said that he was acting in self-defense because Mitchel was trying to rob and harm his family.

Since the incident, Hapgood and his attorney have had to travel to Anguilla multiple times to meet court obligations, including a "Preliminary Inquiry" this month before a Magistrate.

Editor's note, GoFundMe is a Patch promotional partner.