Winsted AMBER Alert called off

BANTAM — An AMBER Alert issued Sunday night was called off early Monday morning, June 21, after a Winsted man accused of abducting his 1-month-old son was arrested in Torrington.

Darrin O’Brien, 30, of 58 Main St., Winsted, surrendered to Torrington police after allegedly taking his 1-month-old son, Darren, from the child’s mother, Dana Lindsay, the previous night. The son was taken to Charlotte Hungerford Hospital in Torrington, where it was determined he was unharmed, and was returned to his mother.

O’Brien was charged with risk of injury to a minor, interfering with an officer and breach of peace. Arraigned at Bantam Superior Court later in the day, he posted a $75,000 bond and was ordered to stay away from Lindsay.

Winchester police reported Sunday night that the child, Darren O’Brien Jr., had been taken from Lindsay’s home by O’Brien at 8:56 p.m. and that O’Brien had fled on foot. Lindsay reportedly told police O’Brien left saying, “If we’re not going to be together, we’re not going to have the baby.�

Police reported making contact with O’Brien at some point between Sunday night and Monday morning and that O’Brien said he would return the child, but he did not. He reportedly told police the following day that he had driven back to the residence and was frightened by the presence of police cruisers and turned back.

O’Brien and Lindsay have a history of domestic disturbances and other offenses. O’Brien had been arrested as recently as June 15 for breach of peace at 58 Main St. He had also been arrested previously for possession of marijuana, reckless driving and evading responsibility. In December of 2004,  he was convicted on charges of unlawful restraint and violation of a protective order. He served two years of a six-year sentence.

Lindsay was convicted last September of making false statements to police alleging domestic violence by O’Brien. She was sentenced to three months in jail, and charges against O’Brien were dropped. Lindsay was also arrested as recently as June 18 for disorderly conduct stemming from a previous incident.

Prior to Monday’s court order, there were no court orders prohibiting O’Brien from having contact with Lindsay or their son.

In court Monday, Assistant State’s Attorney Cynthia Palermo, asking for an increased bail amount, argued that O’Brien is “known to be violent and volatile in his nature� and that he is a “risk to society.�

Public defender James Longwell said O’Brien was trying to remove the baby from “a violent environment� and that he is not a flight risk.

Latest News

Cornwall board approves purchase of two new fire trucks following CVFD recommendation
CVFD reaches fundraising goal for new fire trucks
Provided

CORNWALL — At the recommendation of the Cornwall Volunteer Fire Department, on Jan. 20 the Board of Selectmen voted to move forward with the purchase of two new trucks.

Greenwood Emergency Vehicles, located in North Attleboro, Massachusetts, was chosen as the manufacturer. Of the three bids received, Greenwood was the lowest bidder on the desired mini pumper and a rescue pumper.

Keep ReadingShow less
Robin Lee Roy

FALLS VILLAGE — Robin Lee Roy, 62, of Zephyrhills, Florida, passed away Jan. 14, 2026.

She was a longtime CNA, serving others with compassion for more than 20 years before retiring from Heartland in Florida.

Keep ReadingShow less
Marjorie A. Vreeland

SALISBURY — Marjorie A. Vreeland, 98, passed away peacefully at Noble Horizons, on Jan. 10, 2026.She was surrounded by her two loving children, Richard and Nancy.She was born in Bronxville, New York,on Aug. 9, 1927, to Alice (Meyer) and Joseph Casey, both of whom were deceased by the time she was 14. She attended public schools in the area and graduated from Eastchester High School in Tuckahoe and, in 1946 she graduated from The Wood School of Business in New York City.

At 19 years old, she married Everett W. Vreeland of White Plains, New York and for a few years they lived in Ithaca, New York, where Everett was studying to become a veterinarian at Cornell. After a short stint in Coos Bay, Oregon (Mike couldn’t stand the cloudy, rainy weather!) they moved back east to Middletown, Connecticut for three years where Dr. Vreeland worked for Dr. Pieper’s veterinary practice.In Aug. of 1955, Dr. and Mrs. Vreeland moved to North Kent, Connecticut with their children and started Dr. Vreeland’s Veterinary practice. In Sept. of 1968 Marjorie, or “Mike” as she wished to be called, took a “part-time job” at the South Kent School.She retired from South Kent 23 years later on Sept. 1, 1991.Aside from office help and bookkeeping she was secretary to the Headmaster and also taught Public Speaking and Typing.In other times she worked as an assistant to the Town Clerk in Kent, an office worker and receptionist at Ewald Instruments Corp. and as a volunteer at the Kent Library.

Keep ReadingShow less
Rafael A. Porro

SALISBURY -— Rafael A. Porro, 88, of 4 Undermountain Road, passed away Jan. 6, 2026, at Sharon Hospital. Rafael was born on April 19, 1937 in Camaguey, Cuba the son of Jose Rafael Porro and Clemencia Molina de Porro. He graduated from the Englewood School for Boys in Englewood, New Jersey and attended Columbia University School of General Studies. Rafael retired as a law library clerk from the law firm of Curtis, Mallet Prevost in 2002 and came to live in Salisbury to be nearer to his sister, Chany Wells.

Rafael is survived by his sister, Chany Wells, his nephew Conrad Wells (Gillian), and by numerous cousins in North Carolina, Florida, Wyoming, Arizona, Cuba and Canada. He was the eldest of the cousins and acknowledged family historian. He will be greatly missed.

Keep ReadingShow less