Father, Son Accused Of Hosting Underage Drinking Party At Chester County Home
By Brad Segall
EAST GOSHEN TOWNSHIP, Pa. (CBS) – A father and his teenage son are facing charges after police say they hosted an underage drinking party at their Chester County home.
Forty-six-year-old Raymond Bonnett and his 18-year-old Elliott are each facing a laundry list of charges that include endangering the welfare of children and supplying alcohol to minors.
Investigators said they were called to the Bonnett's house on Bow Tree Drive in East Goshen Township at about 11:20 p.m. Saturday night.
When officers arrived, they say they spotted several individuals who appeared to be underage outside the home holding beer bottles. As officers approached the home from the outside, they reportedly observed more juveniles inside the home drinking what appeared to be alcohol from beer bottles and plastic cups.
Investigators say Elliott Bonnett saw the cops and told them to leave the property.
The officers waited outside the home and at one point a parent arrived at the home and told them his 16-year-old daughter was inside the home and he wanted her to come out. Police say the daughter refused to leave the home.
A second parent then arrived at home and told police that his 15-year-old daughter was inside and that he was unable to make contact with her.
After waiting about an hour to make contact with someone inside the house, police say they entered the home due to the concern for the safety of several juveniles inside the home who would not respond to communications from their parents.
Once inside, police say they located one juvenile who was unconscious and covered in vomit in the basement of the home. Police called EMS from the Goshen Fire Company who responded to assist the male juvenile.
Investigators say it was then determined that Raymond Bonnett was inside the residence and was present for the underage drinking party.
Police located a total of 19 individuals under the age of age of 21 in the home and say that all had consumed some amount of alcoholic beverage.
Police also determined that 17 individuals of the 19 individuals present were under the age of 18 and that the youngest person present was 14-years-old. Parents were contacted to respond and take custody of the juveniles.
Raymond Bonnett and his son were arrested and are facing charges of felony interference with the custody of children, 16 counts of endangering the welfare of children, 16 counts of corruption of minors, 18 counts of selling or furnishing liquor to minors.
Both were arraigned and are being held on $20,000 cash bail. They have a preliminary hearing scheduled for March 27th.
The individuals who were present and consumed alcoholic beverages at the party will be issued a citation for underage drinking.
