Death of Fall River Teen Under Active Investigation
Police and prosecutors are actively investigating the unattended death of a 14-year-old Fall River teen, the Office of Bristol County District Attorney Thomas M. Quinn III announced today.
Wednesday at around 7:45 a.m., city police responded to a 911 call regarding an unresponsive male. When first responders arrived at 107 Green Street, they say the victim's father's girlfriend appeared to be performing CPR on a teenager.
David Almond, 14, who suffered from an intellectual disability, was rushed to Charlton Memorial Hospital where he was pronounced dead.
Investigators found evidence of daily narcotics abuse by the adults inside the home, and also determined that the deceased's twin brother, also intellectually disabled, was a victim of neglect, according to a media release from Quinn's office.
On Wednesday night, police arrested John Michael Almond, 33, and Jaclyn Marie Coleman, 26. Both were due for arraignment today in Fall River District Court on charges of caretaker neglect of a disabled person and possession of a Class A drug. The caretaker neglect charges relate to the surviving brother, and not the deceased, the DA's office said.
Coleman is further charged with assault and battery on a police officer and of obstruction of justice under the state's witness intimidation statute. Coleman is accused of trying to destroy a cell phone in the presence of police officers and then assaulting an officer who tried to stop her.
An autopsy will be conducted on the deceased teen, and the investigation into his death remains "extremely active," a spokesman for Quinn's office said. Assistant District Attorney Seth Aitken handled today's initial arraignment.