UPDATE: Friends Of Murdered Mom Want New Domestic Violence Law

STONINGTON, CT — Friends of brutally murdered Pawactuck mom Brandia Irvin are calling on state legislators to take action. They are asking for a new state law to help domestic violence victims before a tragedy.

In an email to state Rep. Kate Rotella and state Sen. Heather Somers, and copied to the state attorney general and lieutenant governor, a friend claimed after being told by numerous people that Irvin had gone to Stonington Police and asked for help. Chris Ward wrote that she "feared for her and her son's safety, knowing Chico (Carlton T. Henderson Jr.) was going to hurt or kill them. Brandi was told there was nothing they could do because Henderson had establish a residency with Brandi and her son."

On the morning of Nov. 30, her son, 12, witnessed his mother being violently stabbed and ran to a neighbor to call 911. Stonington Police officer Kristy Murray arrived and found Irvin critically injured from a number of stab wounds and immediately began life-saving measures. Irvin was air-lifted to a trauma unit.

Henderson fled but not before trying to run down responding police officers.

After six days on the run, convicted felon Henderson, 43, was arrested and charged, for now, with attempted murder. Hours after he was arraigned on that charge, Irvin, 41, died in Yale New Haven Hospital on Dec. 8 as a result of the horrific stab wounds she sustained in the Nov. 30 attack at her Mechanic Street home.

Police have said the state attorney will be amending that charge to murder. He is currently being held at the high-security Corrigan-Radgowski Correctional Center in Uncasville on a $1.5 million bail.

The email read, "As we are still dealing with the death of a beloved friend many of us have spoken about domestic violence and how women and men are just not protected."

And, it was said that Irvin had contacted police "for at least three days leading up to the violent attack."

When asked if police ignored Irvin's requests for help, Stonington Police Capt. Todd Olson told Patch Tuesday morning, "We are currently looking into that." By Wednesday late morning, Olson sent a statement to Patch addressing the claims.

Olson said that just before 8 p.m. on Nov. 27, Brandia Irvin's mother Christine Irvin called the police department via its routine call line. He said Brandia Irvin did not call police or go to the police department.

"During the call, there was no indication of fear, criminal activity or domestic violence as the dispatcher asked questions attempting to determine the situation. Also, during the call, the Stonington Police Dispatcher offered services (a police officer be sent) if there was any kind of a problem, but the offer was refused by Christine Irvin. This is the only call received from Christine Irvin and no calls had ever come from the victim. The recorded call is part of the criminal case (evidence) and we cannot release any additional details at this time."

Patch has made a Freedom of Information request for a copy of that recorded call.

Olson said Thursday that "as part of the ongoing investigation, Stonington Police detectives are following up to see if there was any domestic violence reported to family or friends. In speaking with Ward he told detectives that he had heard information from her friends but he didn't know their names."

On Thursday, police took to Facebook to further comment. And in their post, do not name but refer to Patch reporting on what sources provided:

By Thursday afternoon, Ward apologized in an email to police, state officials and Patch saying that the claims that Irvin had sought help from police and was turned away were not true. He said Stonington Police told him that "many people have lied or 'stretched the truth' regarding Brandia Irvin’s police contact prior to her murder," noting that information he passed on to state officials and Patch was erroneous, and while he regretted that, he stood "by the fact that CT domestic violence laws are antiquated and need updating."

"Connecticut still needs to take a cold hard look at themselves and what they can do to protect domestic violence victims. And domestic violence education (abuse is more than physical) is just as important as drug education in the schools, too. We need to take a proactive step to try and curtail the cycles of abuse in our State. We need to make sure the victims have the resources and confidence to come forward," he said. "But I apologize for passing on the misinformation I was told and took as truth."

Ward noted that he he was provided information by Irvin's friends and saw numerous now since-deleted Facebook comments that alleged she'd gone to police three times when it was actually, police say, her mother that called police. He said he took people at their word.

Close friend Amy Rosado said Irvin wanted the relationship with Henderson to end. She wanted him out and went to police about it. She has since clarified that it was Irvin's mother who contacted police.

Rosado said she and Jacquelyn Bell and Christina Johnson were Irvin's closest friends since they were all young teens.

"She was a huge part of our lives," Rosado said. "We are devastated. "

She said that when"any woman comes to the police and says, 'Hey I need your help. I don't want him arrested, I just want (him) removed from my property so I can change my locks' ...something should have been done." Rosado said that even through there was no "history of domestic violence in her home," she wishes more questions had been asked.

Somers had right away replied to the email saying, "I have already started to formulate ideas for a bill and will be in touch." And she told Patch "we are just beginning this process."

On a Facebook community page, Somers wrote, "I began the process of reviewing our current laws and speaking to law enforcement and victims of domestic violence to see how we can provide additional protections and so no woman, or child or man would endure such tragedy."

And she offered her condolences to the Irvin family.

"I am so very sorry for this unimaginable and senseless act of violence. My heart breaks for this family - especially her son. "