Six Teens Hospitalized for Drinking

The director of Greenwich’s Arch Street Teen Center says a tragedy was averted last Saturday when six teens showed up severely intoxicated for a dance. They were taken to Greenwich Hospital, and center Director Kyle Silver says, “Without a doubt we saved a life that night.”  

One 15-year-old girl was reportedly “unable to care for herself,” said Lt. Kraig Gray, spokesman for the Greenwich Police Department. “It was taxing on the medical system for the town of Greenwich because there are only three ambulances, and six kids needed to be taken to the hospital."

Only one teen was issued an infraction ticket on a charge of procuring alcohol by a minor. The teen center is an alcohol-free environment.

Silver said the dance attracted nearly 400 teens and had to be shut down when the police determined the party was unmanageable and unsafe. “It’s our most popular event of the year, and the fact that it was spoiled by a few people breaks my heart.”

Silver said Arch Street does not plan to administer breathalyzer tests at the door at future dances. “If we breathalyzed at this event and that student had not come to the event because of that and had been off site as heavily intoxicated as they were, I do not think that student would be with us the next day,” he said.   

Another high school dance is planned for this Saturday night, and Silver said he has spoken to school heads and will report back Monday if there are any incidents.  “Schools … have jurisdiction because in honor codes it states students will not participate in any illegal activity outside school campus,” he said.

Silver said he also hopes the incident will be a wakeup call to parents. “There’s an attitude in this town that alcohol needs to be present to have a good time,” said Silver. “Parents need to be parents, they can’t be a best friend, and they have to be aware of where their son or daughter is and what circumstances they are in.”

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