Month: April 2025

Ansonia Street Takeover

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A large crowd of 50 to 100 people and several dozen cars took over the intersection of Wakelee Avenue and Franklin Street in Ansonia early Saturday morning, with some damaging a police car when an officer arrived. The crowd dispersed once more officers responded, and the investigation into the incident is ongoing.

From the Ansonia Police:

On April 26, 2025 at about 12:25 A.M., the Ansonia Police Department received multiple reports of a possible street takeover and fireworks being shot off at the intersection of Wakelee Avenue and Franklin Street. The first officer on scene encountered a between 50 and 100 people in the street with several dozen cars in the road, some of which were driving erratically. A group approached the officer’s car, with at least one of them jumping onto the hood of the police car while the others started to surround it. The officer attempted to back away and struck a car that was parked. The group continued to advance on the officer and began to throw objects at his car, damaging the car. Once more police officers arrived the crowd dispersed entering Route 8 going both north and south. No one was injured in the incident. The investigation is ongoing and we have begun to identify suspects. There is a video circulating on social meeting depicting some of the incident, we ask that you do not share or re-post the video as it gives groups like this the social media recognition they are trying to gain.

Trumbull Police Update on Assault

Trumbull Officers are on the scene of a serious assault that occurred this afternoon at the Ten Trumbull apartment complex on Oakview Drive. Preliminary reports indicate a domestic related incident, and the responsible person was taken into custody by responding Officers. Residents can expect to see Police on scene for an extended period of time. There is no ongoing threat to the public at this time.

Vape Shop Search Warrant Leads to Arrest

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On April 22, 2025, Norwalk Police served a search and seizure warrant at Clever Smoke Shop on New Canaan Avenue as part of an ongoing investigation into unlicensed cannabis sales. Officers found pre-wrapped marijuana cigarettes, edibles, and vape products concealed in a storage cabinet hidden behind beverage boxes, along with $7,030 in cash.

Seized items included 287 pre-rolled cigarettes, 50 marijuana flower pouches, 215 illegal vape pens, 49 THC edibles, and nearly 39 pounds of packaged marijuana. Following the investigation, 37-year-old Nileshkumar Patel of Freeport, NY, was arrested and charged with possession and possession with intent to sell over 1kg of marijuana product.

Bridgeport Schools Strengthen Student Mental Health Services

Bridgeport, CT — April 25, 2025 — Bridgeport Public Schools (BPS) is taking a major step forward in student mental health support, celebrating the expansion of a vital partnership with Effective School Solutions (ESS). Local leaders, state legislators, and education officials recently gathered to mark the growth of the initiative, which aims to meet the increasing mental health needs of Bridgeport students with sustainable, cost-effective strategies.

Through the partnership, BPS and ESS are creating a comprehensive mental health continuum that prioritizes inclusion-based practices and provides critical emotional and behavioral support within the school community. The initiative directly addresses statewide challenges, including the rising demand for specialized mental health services, the growing costs of out-of-district placements, and the need for scalable support models.

Key outcomes from the collaboration are already visible. A dedicated ESS team of 10 professionals currently supports 147 students across six high-need Bridgeport schools, providing intensive clinical care and wraparound services. In addition to direct support, ESS is also training staff at the district’s Behavioral Learning Centers, equipping them to better meet students’ mental health needs.

One of the most significant achievements has been reducing the need for costly outplacements. So far, 35 students have been able to return to in-district programs, saving Bridgeport Public Schools an estimated $2.7 million.

The results from the strengthened partnership are striking:

Absenteeism: 73% of students with chronic absenteeism have significantly reduced their absences.

Behavioral Improvement: 70% of students with prior disciplinary issues have seen a major decrease in incidents.

Academic Performance: 69% of students with GPAs below 2.0 have either maintained or improved their grades.

Parent Satisfaction: 93% of parents and caregivers report being satisfied or very satisfied with the support their children are receiving.

“This partnership with ESS is a game-changer for our district,” said Dr. Royce Avery, Interim Superintendent of Bridgeport Public Schools. “By integrating mental health services within our schools, we are addressing critical needs and ensuring our students have the support to succeed both academically and emotionally. This collaboration is a model for how we can create lasting impact.”

Bridgeport Public Schools, which serves more than 20,000 students across 40 schools, is committed to expanding this work to build a sustainable, inclusive support system that ensures all students have access to the mental health services they need to thrive.

For more information, visit www.bridgeportedu.net

Conviction Secured in Ansonia Murder Case, Search for Missing Child Continues

Chief Williams and the entire Ansonia Police Department would like to thank the jury in the Morales case for their service and verdict in finding Jose Morales guilty. We would also like to thank the Ansonia/Milford Judicial District led by State’s Attorney Margaret Kelley, in particular Supervisory Assistant State’s Attorney Howard Stein, Senior Assistant State’s Attorney Marc Durso, Inspector Butch Hyatt, Inspector Herb Johnson, Inspector Robert Winkler, Paralegal Chelsea Meehan and all the staff for their dedication and commitment to presenting this case to the jury and securing a conviction. Finally, thank you to the residents of Ansonia for their support and belief in the Ansonia Police Department to protect and serve our City.

While the conviction of Jose Morales closes one part of this case, we continue to investigate the disappearance of Vanessa Morales.

In December 2019, the Ansonia Police Department launched a homicide investigation after 43-year-old Christine Holloway was found murdered in her home. Alongside the devastating discovery, investigators also found that Holloway’s 15-month-old daughter, Vanessa Morales, was missing. The child’s father, Jose Morales, was later arrested and charged with Christine Holloway’s murder, but the disappearance of Vanessa remained—and still remains—unsolved.

Over the following years, the case continued to weigh heavily on the Ansonia community. In a 2022 update, police emphasized that while Jose Morales had been charged in the homicide, the search for Vanessa was still very much active. Authorities released both original and age-progressed images of Vanessa in hopes the public might help bring closure. The department urged anyone with information to come forward, stressing their determination to uncover the truth of what happened to the missing toddler.

Now, with the jury’s recent guilty verdict in the homicide case against Jose Morales, one chapter of this tragedy has reached resolution. The Ansonia Police Department has expressed gratitude to the jurors, prosecutors, investigators, and the community for their efforts and support. However, they continue to investigate Vanessa’s disappearance, underscoring that justice for Christine is only part of the story—the search for Vanessa is not over.

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