Whitman-Hanson Express

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Juvenile arrested after Whitman stabbing

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WHITMAN — A 16-year-old Whitman teen is in stable condition, recovering from extensive injuries following a stabbing on Sunday evening in Whitman.

Another 16-year-old was due to face charges of assault to murder and assault and battery with a dangerous weapon causing serious bodily injury in Brockton Juvenile Court Monday.

Police Chief Scott Benton addressed the media at Whitman Police Headquarters on Monday to confirm the two unnamed juvenile males do know one another.

“There is a victim here that suffered a significant stab wound,” said Benton. “Certainly our thoughts and prayers are with the family and the victim that he makes a full recovery,.”

The Express was on scene just after 9 p.m. Sunday night as police cordoned off the yard with crime tape following a 911 call for a stabbing at a home at the corner of Washington Street and Belcher Drive.

A knife was removed by detectives and evidence could be seen on the grass.

A red shirt, a water bottle, and several items were lying on the lawn while detectives from Whitman police and Plymouth County sheriff’s officers investigated.  An area at the back of the house where the suspect lived was also being combed over by officers who carried a brown evidence bag to a patrol car. There were reportedly other juveniles at the Whitman home during the incident.

Detectives were due to speak with the victim at the hospital on Monday, according to Benton.

Adults who were standing on the front lawn speaking with law enforcement personnel Sunday night, declined to speak to the media. They were later seen going in to the home and closing the door.

Benton reiterated Monday that the case is ongoing and active with many details not being released due to the juveniles involved. He could not elaborate on the area in the backyard or how the disagreement began because of the ongoing investigation.

“The case involves juveniles so there is not a lot I can say,” he said.

Jared Wark, 18, of Whitman said knows both the victim and suspect as a friend and former basketball teammate. He was not at the scene of the incident, he said.

Wark told the media outside the Whitman police station that the victim and suspect were “talking smack” and threats were made via social media.

“It is surreal. I never thought any of this would happen,” said Wark. “There were threats. No one thought he was serious and they were friends.”

He called the town of Whitman a “tight town” — a very small town.

“I love my town. We are all connected and word spread around very quickly. It is past shocking,” he said.

Benton would not confirm further details about the role of social media or the exact cause of the escalation.

“We are talking about juveniles,” Benton said. “There is nothing that I can imagine in your life, that at the age of 16, that is … (pause) could possibly cause the death of another person, “said Benton.

Plymouth County District Attorney Cruz’ office is reportedly handling the case going forward. The suspect was released to his parents and was due at Brockton Juvenile court on Monday.

The victim is expected to make a recovery but he has long road ahead, Benton said.

W-H’s triple threats

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The newly graduated Whitman Hanson class of 2019 is sending hundreds of motivated, bright students into their next stages of life’s adventure. For two families, that adventure has already included being part of a set of triplets.

The Express recently sat down separately with The Davis and Trongone triplets the first double set of triplets to graduate in the same year from Whitman-Hanson.

Ryan Trongone and his sisters Gabrielle ‘Gabby’ and Madison ‘Maddie’ of Whitman along with the Davis family of Hanson —Daniel ‘Dan’ and his sisters Ashley and Kathleen (not necessarily in birth order) celebrated graduation Friday, May 31. However they posed in birth order in their graduation photos.

Each of the triplets has unique personalities and are endlessly busy like average teens, but one thing they all agreed on was sitting and posing for photos needed to be in birth order. It may have been partially so their parents didn’t mix them up but both sets laughed about whether intentional or not they all approved it was a triplet thing.

Even though they are used to coming in a set they all articulated they were raised with self-sufficiently in mind and were encouraged by their parents to succeed independently of one another.

College prep: Ryan Trongone will dorm at Worcester Polytechnic Institute where he is most interested in the engineering program with a possible minor in computer science. He will be playing football there in the fall.

“I’m so excited,” he said.

It will be a tremendous change from living with his two sisters and having a mom who works from home. The transition is filled with emotions of anticipation and change.

“I feel it will be nice at first but then I will probably miss them,” said Ryan.

Maddie  and Gabby are both attending, but rooming separately, at Salve Regina College in Newport, R.I.  It will be a huge modification as they shared a bedroom through early high school.

Maddie is double majoring in teaching and special education. Gabby will be in pre-med and plans to also major in biology as part of the Pell Program.

The girls were surprised at first as neither knew the other was interested in the same school.

Currently they have similar shared groups of friends. They see this as helpful and supportive as they jointly form new freshman friendships.

Ashley Davis will be residing at The University of Mass at Boston and will be pursuing a nursing career.

Daniel is undeclared but is aiming towards working with numbers- his strong point.  Kathleen will pursue biologic-research in a lab setting among her long-term goals. They will commute to Bridgewater State University in the fall.

How do you feel about separating for colleges?

“It will be weird at first and I expect it to be a hard adjustment. I am not sure how I will feel, “said Ashley.

The Davis girls excelled at dance with Ashley also doing cheer for many years. They attend Manomet School of Dance — their aunt owns the studio where they have danced for 15 years.  Kathleen will remain as a student teacher. Having that performing connection has also been a strong bond for them.

Ryan is anticipating a good balanced taste of independence and being close enough to Hanson when he needs some home cooking and family time.

“I will be able to drive home but far enough that my mom can’t make my lunch every day,” he laughed.

They also sympathize with their mom having an empty nest. Being one of three means always having someone to talk to and having someone to hang out with the same goes for the parents having a full house as soon as the car pulls up in the driveway.

Sharing: Although most siblings do rival one another and quickly learn that nothing is just for YOU when you are one of multiples.  They all seemed to view sharing as a gift (most of the time) They are looking forward to a joint graduation party. Like all multiples they shared a birthday but their mom always got them their own favorite, special birthday cakes inviting friends and family to celebrate. Singing Happy Birthday three times may have been only when they were younger.

A positive for both families all the bathrooms will be freed up — enough said.

“Car sharing will be easier for us.” Daniel Davis said laughing.

The Davis girls still share a room and Daniel shares a room with his younger brother.

Both sets of triplets shared a classroom through middle school when teachers and classes began to rotate preparing for high school. The upside of sharing came in handy when forming friendships as most singletons understood their families automatically came as a group… it arranged friends for all of them.

The Trongones said they still distribute themselves amongst the same groups of friends and live close enough too many; even cousins who were as close as siblings to them.

The Davis’ travel in different social circles but their friends all get along with one another.

  Comfort:  Being one of three means always having someone to talk to and having someone to hang out with.

We never have to be by ourselves or if you had a nightmare there was always someone’s bed to jump in, said Maddie.

Fast facts

  Do triplets feel one another’s pain and finish one another’s sentences?

Yes and no. Both sets of girls answered at the same time, giggled and made similar statements as they reminisced with the Express.

They again answer in unison so the  Express would say ‘yes’ they finish one another’s sentences.

But the boys in both families disagreed with a ‘no’.

Healthiest eaters? The Davis girls playfully ganged up on the Daniel. Who was most likely to have Wendy’s or fast food in his hand.

“Yes. I am happy with a hamburger and fries. Kathleen loves apples, and Ashley’s favorite food is an avocado on toast,” he said.

Both sets of triplets played several sports with the Trongone’s achieving multiple awards and accolades for numerous sports throughout their high school careers.

Who is the smartest?  Although all three made National Honor Society …   Ryan Trongone was quick to claim the title.

“I’m the smartest. They (my sisters) might be mad at these answers,” he laughed.

Maddie is the most laid back with Gabby definitely the most outgoing, which was agreed by all three.

Favorite food? They all agreed that dad’s culinary skill and home cooking will be the hardest to leave with family time around the table.

The healthiest eater? Gabby!  But sister Maddie  demures.

“I think I am the healthiest eater, said Maddie,” but Gabby is definitely most motivated to exercise on her own. That was settled.

Most likely to be late: Gabby Trongone was given this title by her siblings.  She refuted the comments stating she has the ability to get up later and still be on time to both work and school.

“I am always on time … they think I am late,” said Gabby.

She also won the title of Senior Girl: Most Likely to Break – the – Ice in the yearbook citing her outgoing personality.

Roles: The Davis’ admitted as a group they feel they can be predictable, however, only to one another and their mother who has raised them with their younger brother Jeffrey, who is now 14.

The roles are distributed evenly Kathleen is the communicator and is the most organized.

Ashley has the most fun and humorous.  She called herself “light hearted.”

Where will you be in five years? Daniel foresees himself involved in a career using math — his strong suit

As a commuter next fall his plan to stay home and help his mom and brother. His goal is to save money while majoring in something he will love.  He has been doing flooring trade work with a neighbor and also works part time.

In five years a self-proclaimed city lover Ashley hopes to be working in a pediatrics program in a hospital setting.  She gained respect for and influence from the pediatricians and specialists who helped her younger brother who has a chronic illness. She feels that is a strong contributing factor in her career goals.

Kathleen would like to go into a graduate program and hopes to get her masters. She is an AP student in science and said she would encourage girls who excel in science.

“I have always wanted to look at microbiology and genetics programs.  As we see more job opportunities involving sciences opening up for both genders- if it is something they are interested in -they shouldn’t feel held back by that blockade that was there. It has been broken,” said Kathleen.

She felt her teachers encouraged her when she was younger and science was introduced to her in a positive way allowing her to stay interested and develop her strengths.

Who gets along the best?  Ryan said he gets along better with Madison because the two are both very laid back.

Daniel felt they all got along and appreciated one another as they matured. The Davis’ felt they got along better now than at any other stage in their life.

Most cherished moments? Ashley and Kathleen called their prom the most cherished memory in their lives.

Ryan said he will always cherish their senior prom after seeing his sisters all dressed up and having fun.

Gabby cherishes her family time and will miss being close with Cousin Mike who is like their second brother.

“We will miss getting together with our friends and our best friend Sammi Smith.  We all grew up together and right across the street. It will be different they (my siblings) are my best friends” added Maddie.

Gabby felt the best family times and memories in her childhood were spent in New Hampshire with her dad’s home cooking. Maddie’s most current, cherished memories are from a recent family trip to Florida in April.

“It was a great family vacation before college,” she said.

They enthusiastically agreed they will be making more memories together and independently in their next chapters of what life brings.

They all decided on one thing for sure that no matter where they are, or where they go in their adventures one thing will not change. . .

They will always come as an extraordinary set.

Man is killed by MBTA train in Hanson

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By Tracy F. Seelye, Express editor
editor@whitmanhansonexpress.com

HANSON — MBTA Transit Police said a man was struck and killed by a commuter rail train in Hanson early Wednesday morning by an in-bound train at the Hanson station.

The name of the person had not been released at press time. According to transit police, the victim was trespassing on the right of way near Main Street when he was struck.

“A male, age unknown at this time, while trespassing on the right of way in the vicinity of 1070 Main St., was struck by an inbound commuter rail train on the Kingston/Plymouth line,” Transit Police said in a statement. to Boston elevision stations “Foul play is NOT suspected.”

The incident happened at 5:30 a.m. near the Hanson Station on Main Street. Commuters already on the train were seen departing the train after 7 a.m. to be shuttled to other stations by transit buses.

Service on the Kingston/Plymouth line was delayed with inbound passengers from the Hanson station redirected to the Whitman station.

Officials from the Transit Police, Plymouth County BCI and Hanson Police and Fire responded to the scene.

MBTA officials did not make a statement at the scene, with press inquiries directed to Transit Police Superintendent Richard Sullivan.

Hanson police shut down Route 27, which is near the tracks, from Elm to Phillips streets for the investigation. The road was closed for several hours. Regular service on the Kingston-Plymouth line did not resume until just before 9 a.m.

Local road traffic was redirected through Halifax via Elm Street for eastbound motorists out of Whitman and via Phillips Street for westbound traffic in Hanson.

Transit Police officials talk on Main Street in Hanson after a man was stuck and killed by a commuter train Wednesday morning

An MBTA commuter rail train was stopped on Main Street in Hanson for more than three hours after a man was struck and killed at the Hanson station

A Hanson Police officer escorts commuter rail passengers to waiting shuttle buses

Salute to nation’s fallen

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There have been 1.1 million U.S. military personnel killed in all American wars, including the ongoing Global War on Terror. Residents of Whitman and Hanson joined the nation in honoring those who gave that last full measure of devotion during parades and ceremonies Monday, May 27.

Whitman Girl Scouts carried posters bearing photos of that community’s war dead in the parade and, in Hanson, state Rep. Josh Cutler, D-Duxbury, honored one of Hanson’s fallen during post-parade ceremonies at Fern Hill Cemetery.

“I’m standing here in what is known as the Unreturned Lot, which commemorates the lives of the 26 or 27 — we’re not exactly sure — Hanson men who were killed during the Civil War,” Cutler said, noting the 1.1 million who have fallen in all U.S. wars, such a huge number it almost becomes a statistic. “It’s hard to fathom that kind of loss. Memorial Day is an opportunity to narrow the gap between tragedy and statistic.”

Cutler did so by focusing on the loss of Tech. Sgt. Elmer R. Hammond, killed in action at the age of 21, in a B-17 on his 40th mission in the skies over WWII Europe.

He joined the U.S. Army in 1943 after the Navy and Marine Corps had turned him away because he was not an American citizen, Cutler related. Born in Nova Scotia in 1923, Hammond moved to Hanson with his family when he was 6. The Hanson American Legion Post bears his name.

“Tech. Sgt. Hammond was the first WWII soldier casualty from Hanson [and] he was laid to rest right here in Fern Hill Cemetery,” Cutler said. At the time of Elmer Hammond’s death, his younger brothers Sam and Gilbert were 9 and 7 years old.

“Sam later recalled that, ‘Elmer was a great guy who was brave, heroic and a guy I’d like to have as my back-up,’” Cutler said. “Sgt. Hammond is just one of the many heroes our town, our Commonwealth, and our nation have lost in war time. Today, I urge you to keep the memories of these men and women alive.”

Whitman’s Memorial Day Observances kicked off with morning wreath laying ceremonies in celebration of the 151st year honoring those who have honored their country at the cost of their lives.

Selectman Dan Salvucci addressed parade goers, citing one of his favorite local events honoring Memorial Day.

“We remember:  an event at Duval School where the kids commit to memory their relatives who have passed away and have given their all to serve to keep our country safe,” he said.

He thanked all who carried flags to honor those who passed. He shared a small narrative about honoring his late father in- law, a veteran, by carrying a flag in the parade something that he keeps close to his heart.

State Rep. Alyson Sullivan, R-Abington, thanked Pack 22 whose members had placed countless flags in honor of those fallen but not forgotten around multiple locations in Whitman.

She spoke of the sacred motivations behind celebrating Memorial Day and honoring those who have given their lives and also those who have returned as veterans some who suffer in silence with PSTD.

“Each and every war from the birth of our nation to our wars in Iraq and Afghanistan has come at great cost,” Sullivan said. “As we do each year on this special day of reflection we gather, we pause we pray, we remember the heroes who served and made the ultimate sacrifice so that we can enjoy these treasured gifts. … Today it’s our duty to and the duty of our grateful nation to remember and honor those who served and sacrificed.”

Three of Pack 22 scouts wrapped up the Town Hall services with a reading of prayer, moving on to lay wreaths in the WW I Memorial Arch, Colebrook Cemetery, the Town Park flag pole, Civil War Soldiers Monument and Veterans Monument all Wars -among the early morning honors several other memorials were paid tribute. The warm weather brought crowds in droves as they lined the South Avenue in front of the Town Hall and Post office.

“I really appreciate all the community support,” Hanson Veterans Agent Timothy White said during ceremonies at Indian Head School before the town’s parade stepped off.  “It’s very much appreciated.”

School Committee Chairman Bob Hayes handed a folded American flag to Scouts who raised it on the school’s flagpole to full-staff, before lowering it to half-staff for the observance before Hanson Middle School student Noah Roberts read Gov. Charlie Baker’s Memorial Day Proclamation.

Janet Hamilton, a U.S. Sanitary Commission re-enactor with the U.S. 22nd Vols., out of Rockland, was escorted by Selectman Jim Hickey in placing a wreath at the war memorial at the school. Hamilton, of Taunton, was dressed in Civil War-era mourning dress and veil to represent all widows of war dead. She was escorted by Selectmen Kenny Mitchell and Wes Blauss for a wreath laying at the town’s Civil War monument on Town Hall Green and by Selectmen Laura FitzGerald-Kemmet and Matt Dyer at the Unreturned Memorial at Fern Hill Cemetery.

The Mass. 22nd Vols. Fired a ceremonial rifle salute at each wreath-laying ceremony and members of the Hanson Middle School band played “Taps.”

“Let peace prevail among all the nations,” the Rev. Peter Smith of Hanson Congregational Church said in his prayer opening the day’s events.

Roberts recited the Gettysburg Address at Fern Hill and the Rev. Michael Hobson of St. Joseph the Worker Church closed with a prayer for blessings on the fallen and for their families’ peace of heart and mind.

Donnie’s on the road again

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WHITMAN — Not long ago, if you had asked Donnie Westhaver of Whitman what he would be doing in two years, driving a motorcycle would probably not be what you would have expected to hear.

Westhaver has been confined to a wheelchair after suffering devastating complications from spinal fusion surgery just two years ago. He now lives as a quadriplegic only recently gaining hand and arm strength with braces and grueling, twice weekly physical therapy.

Living in a wheelchair and the life altering circumstances does not define him, however. He has made his life mission and purpose about serving and helping others.

He admits that he struggles with having to rely on helpers to transport him to appointments although he has a handicap assessable van he is unable to operate it independently, yet. One day he hopes to have the arm strength to operate independently.  For now he gratefully relies on friends and family to take him out, he said.

Recently he began researching the Marine Mobility Conquest Trike, a handicapped assessable customizable trike that allows a wheel chair to fit compatibly and stably on a platform inside a motorized compartment. It was a limited product no longer being manufactured and Westhaver thought the chances were slim that he would cross paths with the bike.

But, as fate would have it, he received a call from his cousin in Texas who had seen the exact trike on EBAY. They tracked it down made a bid and the rest is history.

He has received encouragement from his family to gain some independence and a sense of freedom again.

The last few years have been emotional after losing his wife Susan from lung cancer. They were married for over 40 years. Having so many changes in a short period of time has not been easy, he said.

He sold his trailer and boat to free up funds for the trike.

“My family agreed that it was best to sell them now in order to be able to use something that would give me mobility to get around,” said Westhaver.

His attitude is infectious and giving back to the community re-energizes him. He has co-organized the Whitman Area Toy Drive for over a decade providing hundreds of families in need with toys, gift cards and food during the holiday. He also served as president of the VFW men’s auxiliary and is a past commander of the Whitman Sons of the American Legion. He helps and stays involved with other groups as well. He is the retired superintendent of the Whitman DPW, and a founder of Whitman Wheels for disabled Veterans and Citizens which provides medical mobility equipment to those that cannot afford the items due to lack of insurance or monetary reasons.

When the trike arrived it was comparable to Christmas morning.

The most incredible part of the mobility trike when it arrived was the 3-D artwork from front to back, he said.

“Seeing the photos online really did not do it justice,” said Westhaver.

As he poured over the artwork he wondered more about the drawings and what they meant. He reached out to the artist John Steven St. Clair of Florida the former owner of Metal Mafia Custom Painting in Orlando. He spoke several times with Westhaver explaining why the photos depicted on the moving mural meant so much to his customer and friend Mike. (Since the Express could not reach out to his family they are identifying him only by his first name.)

St. Clair relayed the stories of each piece of art to Westhaver. One of the most impressionable sections of the trike is a row of four faces all  Mike’s fallen military comrades — tributes to Pfc. Jay S. Cajimat,  Sgt. Andrew R. Looney,  Cpl. Durrell Bennett and Sgt. William Wayne Crow whose deaths were all related to their services oversees following  9-11 said St. Clair as he was told.

Westhaver has poured over the surface, which are emblazoned with emotional depictions undoubtedly a mix of memories and nightmares as Mike suffered from severe PTSD and took his own life several years ago.

On the day he spoke with the Express, Westhaver’s registration plate arrived via Gail Varraso of O’Rourke’s Insurance in Whitman. She was as happy as Westhaver who beamed from ear to ear as he held the numbered tag that would allow him a taste of the open road riding Mike’s trike. The freedom allotted to Westhaver has somehow been restored even in the smallest of amounts as he prepares to drive again.

Multiple fires keep WFD crews busy

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Whitman Fire Chief Timothy Grenno, third from left, and Hanson Fire Chief Jerome Thompson Jr., third from right, talk with firefighters and residents of 81 School St., March 21. (Photo by Stephanie Spyropoulos)

WHITMAN — The last several weeks have been exceptionally busy for first responders in Whitman, Fire Chief Timothy Grenno said Tuesday. Amid day-to-day medical calls, the department has responded to four separate house fires since Feb. 13.

One of the fires occurred at 4:30 a.m., Tuesday, March 26, only hours after firefighters returned from an extensive brush fire on the Whitman Abington town line.

Early Tuesday morning the Whitman Fire Department responded to a report of a house fire at 142 Raynor Ave.

A passerby noticed the fire and called 911 also waking the family inside and helping them safely get out of the house. There were no reported injuries, according to a statement through Grenno’s office.

When firefighters arrived, the single-family ranch-style home had fire showing from an outside wall of an attached garage. The fire had extended up the exterior wall and the interior walls of the garage. Abington fire department responded to the scene to provide assistance.

The fire was quickly brought under control and firefighters successfully prevented the flames from spreading further into the house.

The initial investigation indicates that the fire started accidentally due to the spontaneous combustion of oily rags that were used earlier in the day to strip a floor.

“I would like to commend the passerby for their quick actions in calling 911 and having the wherewithal to wake up the family and get them out of the house,” Chief Grenno said. “Anyone dealing with oily rags or cloths should never leave them in a pile and should hang them up to dry or lay them out on the ground. As the rags dry, they give off heat and if the heat is not released it can cause a fire.”

At about 2:30 p.m., Monday March 25, Whitman Fire Department helped in extinguishing a large brush fire that started in Abington on Brockton Avenue .

“Upon arrival, firefighters discovered that the fire had spread toward the high tension power lines on the Whitman/Brockton town lines. The large swath of land sits near the town lines of the three communities. ‘Whitman deployed a brush truck, engine and shift commander to help coordinate extinguishing the flames’” Grenno said.

Firefighters from Abington, Brockton and Holbrook responded and were relocated to keep ahead of the flames.

It took firefighters about two hours to fully extinguish the fire, which burned about four acres of land. Firefighters successfully prevented the fire from spreading to any nearby buildings. No injuries were reported and the cause of the fire is under investigation, but is not considered suspicious at this time.

School Street

On March 21, a family was displaced at 81 School St., following a kitchen fire.

Later determined to be a grease firefirefighters from Whitman Hanson, East Bridgewater and Abington assisted in controlling and extinguishing the heavy fire and were able to prevent further spreading into the remaining multi family home.

No injuries were reported and four residents of the building were temporarily displaced due to fire, smoke and water damage to the home.

Initial investigation indicated that the fire was caused by grease in a cooking pan. The resident attempted to put the fire out with flour, but was unsuccessful.

The damage done to the home was estimated at about $60,000.

Chief Grenno commended the work of firefighters for their quick response and knockdown of the fire.

“Thankfully our ambulance had just returned from a hospital transport with two of our six on-duty firefighters on board,” Chief Grenno said. “Had the fire started 10 minutes earlier we would have only been able to send four firefighters and there would have likely been significantly more damage to the house. This incident, along with two other significant fires in recent months, highlights the importance of a properly staffed fire department.”

Firefighters responded to 134 Bayberry Road Feb. 23 for a reported chimney fire just after 9:30 p.m.

While en route, firefighters were notified that flames had extended into the one and a half story building.  A fire in a wood stove had extended to the chimney, exterior wall and ceiling.

The location of the fire presented firefighters with unique challenges, requiring them to do extensive work opening up of the home’s ceiling and wall in order to fully extinguish the flames.

“Our firefighters did an excellent job extinguishing a fire under complex circumstances,” Chief Grenno said.

There were no injuries as a result of the fire, and the home’s lone occupant spent the night with a family member.

Whitman firefighters were supported on scene by crews from the Abington, East Bridgewater and Hanson fire departments.

The cause of the fire remains under investigation. The damage to the home was estimated at $40,000.

The largest fire, which reached six alarms for man power and EMS occurred to a three story apartment complex in the early evening on Commercial Street Feb. 13 in Whitman.

The house has since been razed.

Police: Social media ploy lured youth

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Matthew Murphy. (Photo courtesy United States Marshals Service)

WHITMAN — A Whitman man has been arrested and is facing allegations that he sexually exploited children after he created a fake social media account.

Matthew Murphy, 22, of Temple Street in Whitman, was charged in federal court on Tuesday on two counts of sexual exploitation of children.

Murphy posed as a teen girl using a Snapchat account to extort nude photographs from a Massachusetts middle school boy. The investigation of the alleged incidents was detailed in the charging documents, according to a press release from the United States Attorney Andrew E. Lelling and Peter C. Fitzhugh, Special Agent in charge.

Federal agents obtained portions of the Snapchat account Murphy had created in the fake identity and uncovered evidence of similar extortion of other minors in the area, according to the press release.

Murphy was detained pending a detention hearing scheduled for Wednesday at 3:30 p.m.,

Agents and Whitman police executed a search warrant of Murphy’s home where he was placed under arrest.

 “It is a reminder that these predators are out there,” said Whitman Police Chief Scott Benton. “They want to prey on and take advantage of the innocence of children.”

Law enforcement is actively working to identify additional victims. Members of the public with questions or information about this matter should call 617-748-3274 or Whitman police at 781-447-1212.

“During the execution of the search warrant at his home, Murphy admitted that the fake account was his, and investigators found forensic evidence of the account on some of his electronic devices. Murphy was subsequently arrested,” according to the press release.

The charges of sexual exploitation of children each provide for a minimum mandatory sentence of 15 years and no greater than 30 years in prison, a minimum of five years and up to a lifetime of supervised release and a fine of $250,000. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

United States Attorney Andrew E. Lelling and Peter C. Fitzhugh, Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations in Boston, made the announcement Wednesday. The Whitman Police Department provided valuable assistance with the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Anne Paruti, Lelling’s Project Safe Childhood Coordinator and a member of his Major Crimes Unit, is prosecuting the case.

The case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood. In 2006, the Department of Justice created Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative designed to protect children from exploitation and abuse. Led by the U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the DOJ’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children, as well as identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, visit projectsafechildhood.gov/.

Compassion on the beat

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A rainy window reflects a police officer on the job. Mental health clinician ride-alongs on Fridays now provide assistance to officers responding to health-related crises. (Photo by Stephanie Spyropoulos)

WHITMAN — The Whitman Police Department is taking advantage of a local grant, which has afforded several South Shore communities the services of a mental health clinician to ride along with a dispatched officer.

The program was launched in January 2019.

Katrina Lee, jail diversion coordinator for High Point Middleborough outpatient clinic, rides with a Whitman supervising officer on Friday nights, allowing for immediate assistance in cases of domestic violence, substance abuse and other mental health-related crises.

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts Department of Mental Health funded the mission titled: a Regional Co Response Jail/Arrest Diversion Project (RJDP) with $45,000 in conjunction with High Point contracted services approved in 2018.

Whitman Police Chief Scott Benton said the proactive approach is similar to one departments have implemented in the past years to assist with opioid addiction, treating respective mental illnesses rather than waiting until the problem escalates. He said the shifting mindset is being applied and supported through the new program.

Benton referred to the awareness as a step in the right direction as officers are better equipped with the knowledge of an underlying mental illness.

“It is getting everyone in the room:  police, fire and hospitals to help these people.  If the people get help, then get out of a facility and they don’t have other services it becomes a merry-go round for them,” said Benton.    

There are times when a resident refuses intervention.

“They can decline but Lee can point them in the right direction for services,” said Benton. “We are getting into the game. We are way behind in treating mental health.”

Feedback has been positive from the officers, he said.

“It’s in the delivery,” Benton said. “We want to make sure we are implementing something and give it a chance to succeed. Invariably things come up … we have issues to address – we do it together in partnership. Department heads and supervisors of police and fire met to address concerns at the beginning of the program.

“Paperwork and other expectations needed to be communicated to properly get the program a jump start in the community as with any new program,” he said.

According to the studies and content in the grant request, some common disorders that are seen most frequently when a law enforcement officer is requested are: depression, anxiety, mood disorders; substance abuse is often an underlying issue or compounding component, self-harm and domestic violence.

A statistic used to support the grant request through the National Alliance on Mental Health NAMI”

“In a mental health crisis, people are more likely to encounter police that get medical help. As a result, two million people with mental illness are booked into jail each year,” according to a statistic used to support the grant request through the National Alliance on Mental Health- NAMI.

Lee, as the clinician who is seeing firsthand how the program is evolving has expressed her commitment.

“I am excited to be a part of this program,” said Lee.

She has worked with victims of crime alongside the DA’s Office for the majority of her career. She is able to utilize her knowledge along with her clinical skills responding first hand to help people in the six communities.

“It is the perfect blend of my experiences. I’m hopeful that my background has proven helpful to the people I‘ve spoken with to date,” Lee said. “I really feel fortunate to be working with these departments because everyone from the chiefs to the officers I work with, are incredibly compassionate and genuinely want to help the members of their communities.”

“As a group we want to see people with mental illnesses referred to appropriate agencies to receive support rather than having them brought through the criminal justice system if that can be avoided,” Lee said. “In cases where it can’t I am able to make referrals to the Mental Health Court, which can better address the mental health needs of the individual.”

The grant guidelines stated that, “The co-response diversion model provides an opportunity to apply immediate, community based clinical services when and where they are needed in partnership with police officers responding to behavioral health calls. A consistent clinical presence in a police station has shown to have an overall beneficial effect on law enforcement personnel’s attitudes towards individuals with behavioral health conditions and on vicarious skill building and knowledge. … The overall goal of our RJDP is to steer people with mental health difficulties away from the criminal justice system and into services that lead to mental health recovery as stated in the grant outline and project approval.”

The approved grant was awarded to Bridgewater Police Chief Christopher Delmonte and includes, East and West Bridgewater — including Bridgewater State University police  —and  Middleboro police.

Whitman aids fire victims

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WHITMAN — The night of the fire heavy black smoke could be seen from Route 58 in Hanson — the sounds of sirens rang from all directions — as fire apparatus from all over the South Shore helped battle a raging house fire at 316-18 Commercial St., on Wednesday, Feb. 13.

Word spread quickly that the three-story wooden structure was crumbling to the ground, siding melted down to the foundation along with it — destroying personal processions and mementos of approximately a dozen residents.

Remarkably no one was injured in the fire, reported by a resident through 911 just before 8 p.m. The blaze drew 80 firefighters and 15 departments from around the south shore.

“Upon arrival heavy flames were coming from a second-story window. The fire was spreading to the third floor and simultaneously burning the wooden deck outside of the window,” said Whitman Fire Chief Timothy J. Grenno.
Deputy Chief Joe Feeney immediately struck a second alarm — a call for more assistance to the scene — due to the building structure and size.  Chief Grenno called for additional mutual aid from other towns, striking a fifth alarm at approximately 9:25 p.m.

Hundreds of onlookers and media flooded the street filming the flames as they seem to propel from every gap of the structure. Residents lined the doorways and lawns dressed in pajamas, some wore white face masks as they shook their heads to evade the gusts of smoke, that mixed with snowflakes as the night progressed.

They Lost everything

“People have been amazing,” said resident Hannah Fabian who has spent most of the last week in a daze filling out paperwork and trying to piece her life back together. Along with several other families in the building they have seen a vast amount of support as they start to rebuild.

Fabian, who was home when the fire started, had rented in the Whitman apartment building for less than six months with her boyfriend and two sons. Her cousin, David, and his daughter who is 11 and a middle school student in Whitman, rented an apartment on the lower level. Fabian had asked him to check her apartment when the boys, who were getting ready to visit their father, smelled burning plastic – within seconds smoke billowed from her bathroom. They all ran out of the building while the smoke alarms blared and called the fire department.

“When we got out of the house it was already completely covered in smoke. It went up in what seemed liked seconds,” said Fabian. “I tried to stay calm for the kids but I couldn’t help it we all were crying.”

She left the fire scene after her sons, who are ages 8 and 11, were picked up by their father. She wore a red hoodie over her face and had a friend, who like her also has severe asthma, give Fabian an inhaler as her own medicine was left behind in the burning building.

David was trying to gather his tools outside the building as he sprayed a fire extinguisher, she said.

Fabian has received monetary help through a GoFundMe account a friend has created, but there are things that can’t ever be replaced like baby books and photo albums, she said.

Battling the blaze

Firefighters battled the blaze and successfully prevented it from spreading to nearby homes. The heaviest flames were knocked down by approximately 9:30 p.m., said Grenno.

Several neighbors who viewed the intensity of the scene from parallel driveways used cell phones to document the fire, as they trained a watchful eye on their own homes.

Residents displaced by the fire were assisted by the American Red Cross — who responded to the scene.

The building, a total loss has since been demolished. Early estimates of the loss have totaled upwards of $1 million dollars in loss, according to Grenno.

The preliminary investigation indicated that the fire started in a second floor apartment. The cause of the fire is under investigation by Whitman Fire and investigators from the Massachusetts Department of Fire Services (DFS).

They were continuing their investigation Thursday Feb. 14, but at this time it does not appear to be suspicious. Grenno said that he did not know when the last fire inspection was done at the building, but that it had previously been up to code.

“This fire spread extremely fast and I want to commend our firefighters and those from our surrounding communities who responded to help put this fire out as quickly as they did,” Grenno said. “We are thankful that no one was hurt and that all residents were quickly able to be accounted for.”

As of Tuesday Feb. 19 the cause of the fire was still under investigation. 

Crews worked to overhaul the house and extinguish hot spots until approximately 12:30 a.m. Thursday Feb. 14. The scene was cleared later in the day and an engine from Whitman remained on fire watch over night.

Firefighters from the following communities responded to assist on the call: Hanson, Abington, East Bridgewater, West Bridgewater, Bridgewater, Rockland, Brockton, Norwell, Hanover, Halifax, Hingham, Holbrook, Randolph, Marshfield, Avon and Pembroke.
In addition, the Whitman Police Department, Whitman Community Emergency Response Team (CERT), DFS Rehabilitation Unit and Boston Sparks Association A-10 also responded to the scene.

Helping others

Austin Gould, a first grader at Conley School in Whitman, heard about the fire on Wednesday and when he arrived at school on Thursday he asked if he could talk to his school Principal Karen Downey.

“He came in to see me and said ‘Well did you know there was a big fire?’ My heart melted …” said Downey.

Gould explained that he remembered Downey telling them that they can help make a difference in other kids’ lives and that was his goal. He wanted to help the kids who lost everything in the fire.

Downey has always stood by the lessons of education for her students however she also wants them to become good citizens, she said.

Her reaction upon hearing his objective to benefit the victims was one of pride

“Wow! They are hearing me,” she said. “I was so impressed with the willingness and earnestness from such a wonderful little guy. Knowing they are absorbing all the lessons that are being taught by word and example is spreading pride through the Whitman schools.”

Also students at Conley School, James and Charlotte Kleinman planned a  lemonade stand to raise funds.

Five-alarm fire destroys Whitman house

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Fire crews train their hoses on flames bursting through the roof of a multi-family house at 316-18 Commercial St., in Whitman Wednesday night. No one was injured as some 80 firefighters from 15 South Shore departments responded to the fire. (Photo by Stephanie Spyropoulos)

WHITMAN — Nearly 80 firefighters from Whitman and more than 15 South Shore communities battled a five-alarm blaze that destroyed a multi-family house at 316-18 Commercial St., Wednesday night.

No injuries were reported in the fire.

The building was a total loss, and including personal possessions, Whitman Fire Chief Timothy Grenno estimated that the damage could add up to nearly $1 million.

All of the nearly a dozen residents of the apartment building were displaced as a result of the fire. The American Red Cross responded to the scene to assist residents in finding shelter for the night.

A preliminary investigation points to the fire starting in a second floor apartment, but the exact cause of the fire is still under investigation by Whitman Fire and investigators from the Massachusetts Department of Fire Services (DFS). They were expected continue their investigation later Thursday morning, but at this time officials said it does not appear to be suspicious. Grenno said that he did not know when the last fire inspection was done at the building, but that it had previously been up to code, according to a statement. He stated that he did not know when the last fire inspection was done at the building.

“This fire spread extremely fast and I want to commend our firefighters and those from our surrounding communities who responded to help put this fire out as quickly as they did,” Chief Grenno said.

Whitman Fire Chief Timothy Grenno watches Thursday afternoon as equipment from Watson Excavating of East Bridgewater is used to raze the multi-family home at 316-18 Commercial St., Whitman that was destroyed in Wednesday night’s five-alarm blaze.

Residents told reporters on the scene that the power went out and they heard a popping sound before the flames broke out.

Whitman Fire/Rescue received a 911 call reporting a fire at an apartment building at about 7:45 p.m. Upon arrival crews found that heavy flames were coming from a second-story window. The fire was spreading to the third floor and simultaneously burning the wooden deck outside of the window.

Deputy Fire Chief Joe Feeney immediately struck a second alarm. Because of the size of the building and its wood-frame structure, the fire quickly spread through the house and Grenno called for additional mutual aid from other towns, striking a fifth alarm at approximately 9:25 p.m. Firefighters from Hanson, Abington, East Bridgewater, West Bridgewater, Bridgewater, Rockland, Brockton, Norwell, Hanover, Halifax, Hingham, Holbrook, Randolph, Marshfield, Avon and Pembroke responded to mutual aid calls. The Whitman Police Department, Whitman Community Emergency Response Team (CERT), DFS Rehabilitation Unit and Boston Sparks Association A-10 also responded to the scene.