Two Girls Charged In Teen Center Incident

Police said this week they charged two 13-year-old girls each with second degree criminal trespassing and with third degree criminal mischief following an incident at the town’s Newtown Teen Center on Church Hill Road. Because the youths are under age 16, their identities are shielded from disclosure by state law.

Police said they received a report of two missing girls at about 10:30 am on January 19, which was a school holiday. One of the two girls reportedly had written a note saying that the two were running away from their homes, police said.

Police learned that they should check the Newtown Teen Center for the girls, which they did, but found only the girls’ belongings there. The youths apparently had entered the teen center the night before by pushing open the front door, police said. On inspecting the premises, police found the rear door open.

Police later located the two girls behind the nearby Church Hill Gas Stop gas station at 47 Church Hill Road, after which they were taken into custody and charged. Police said the girls admitted to them that they had spent the night at the teen center. Security reportedly is being increased at the town’s facility for local youth.

Third degree criminal mischief involves less than $250 of property damage. Both girls are scheduled to appear February 9 in Danbury Juvenile Court.