Internal Probe Reveals Three Stoughton Police Officers Had Inappropriate Relationship With a Minor
An internal probe has revealed that three Stoughton police officers had an inappropriate sexual relationship with a minor, leading to her committing suicide.
According to CBS News, the police officers identified as Matthew Farwell, William Farwell and Robert Devine were found to have violated their oaths of office following a 19 month long investigation into the death of Sandra Birchmore.
At the time of her death last year, by apparent suicide, she was believed to be pregnant with Matthew Farwell's baby. He was also the last person to see her alive.
The abuse started in 2010 when the late Birchmore joined the Police Young Explorers Program.
There, she met Matthew Farwell, who began having an inappropriate relationship with her two years after she joined. She was 15, and he was 27.
Matthew Farwell also introduced her to other police officers like William Farwell–his twin brother–and Robert Devine.
An internal affairs investigation was ordered after the victim was found dead in her apartment on February 4, 2021.
In a press conference on Friday, Police Chief Donna McNamara revealed that "a deeply disturbing pattern of behaviour" from the three officers led to the late Birchmore taking her life.
Commenting on Ms Birchmore's death, Ms McNamara said: "The investigation uncovered many hundreds of digital messages and explicit exchanges between Matthew Farwell and [the woman] over the course of several years,".
She further added: "Matthew Farwell exploited [the woman]... until Matthew Farwell decided to end the relationship on February 1, 2021".
Although not detailed in the report, McNamara said a fourth man, now an officer with a Massachusetts agency she declined to name, also took advantage of Birchmore.
A fifth man, a military recruiter, had "inappropriate communications" with Birchmore, the chief said. McNamara said she has been in contact with supervisors and commanding officers of those people.