Flowers, Stuffed Lovey, Memorialize Young Westporter
Flowers and a stuffed animal sit atop a card outside of 1 Lyndale Park this afternoon. The makeshift memorial popped up this morning as news continued to break about the horrific tragedy that has rocked Westport and the school communities.
Westport Police: Deaths of Mother and 7 Year Old Daughter Ruled a Homicide-Suicide
Westport Police Press Release
The adult female who was found deceased in the home at 1 Lyndale Park has been positively identified as forty-six-year-old Tracy Do. The deceased juvenile also resided at the above address and is Ms. Do’s daughter.
On June 18, 2021, the two deceased individuals were brought to the State Medical Examiner’s office in Farmington to be autopsied. The Medical Examiner determined that the seven-year-old had drowned and ruled her death a homicide. The Medical Examiner ruled Ms. Do’s death a suicide. The Westport Police Detective Bureau along with the State Police Western District Major Crimes Unit continue to investigate the facts and circumstances related to these two deaths.
Chief Koskinas stated that “this is a horrible tragedy, and the police department is keeping the family as well as the community that was so deeply affected by this in our thoughts and prayers.”
At this time, we are not releasing any further information related to this case.
Coleytown Elementary and Stepping Stones Preschool Closed Monday; Students will be Given a Time to Collect Belongings
Press Release, Westport Public Schools Superintendent Thomas Scarice Dear Westport Families,
As our community mourns the tragic loss of one of our beloved students and her mother, I want to provide assurance that the school district is actively working to support those closest to this unspeakable loss. A plan for mental health and grief counselors is being developed for those most impacted.
In order to appropriately end the school year, while simultaneously addressing the profound grief in the Coleytown Elementary School community, Monday June 21 will not be a student day. Coleytown Elementary School and Stepping Stones Preschool students will not report to school Monday June 21 as a scheduled school day.
However, parents can expect to be provided information by CES Principal, Janna Sirowich, and SSP Director, Lynda Codeghini, on an opportunity for students to visit their classrooms and teachers on Monday June 21 for one last time, and to collect their belongings as they depart for summer.
Details of this opportunity will be shared later today by building administration, yet I can share that there will be a defined window of time for visits. I want to assure parents that there will be no discussion of the recent tragedy while students visit their teachers and collect their belongings. We will have staff staged across the entire school to help facilitate this opportunity for your child. This will be a drop off event and should take no longer than approximately 30 minutes. Again, details will be forthcoming from building administration.
Finally, parents will be provided additional resources on how to speak with your child, and whether or not it is age-appropriate to do so. Members of our team are ready to support our families, faculty and staff.
I want to thank the school community for the respect given to our faculty, staff and all first responders as we heal and support each other, and move to support all of those most impacted by this tragedy.
Respectfully,
Thomas Scarice
Superintendent of Schools
First Selectman: “I know we will come together to support those who need to begin the healing process.”
Westport First Selectman Press ReleaseWestport First Selectman Jim Marpe made the following statement today:
The community is dealing with an awful tragedy. Since this terrible event is still under investigation, I cannot comment on the details. My prayers and condolences are with the family.
Police, First Responders, public school personnel and students have been directly impacted by this devastating event. The entire community shares in their grief and sadness. Westport is a caring community and I know we will come together to support those who need to begin the healing process.