BY
JIM HAND SUN CHRONICLE STAFF | Posted: Friday, February 27, 2015 1:00
am
PLAINVILLE A King Philip Regional High School senior has been indicted for involuntary
manslaughter, allegedly for urging a friend to commit suicide. She then raised
money for mental illness in the name of her friend.
Michelle
Carter, 18, of Plainville was indicted as a “youthful offender” by a Bristol
County grand jury, and was arraigned in New Bedford Juvenile Court.
Police
found Roy after his family reported him missing.
Police
went through Roy’s cellphone and allegedly found a number of text messages from
Carter, right up until the time he died, when she allegedly urged Roy to go
through with the suicide, according to court documents.
Fairhaven
police Detective Scott Gordon said in a police report: “Not only did Conrad tell
Carter in several of his texts prior to his death that he was scared and didn’t
want to leave his family, she continued to encourage him to take his own life,
and when he actually started to carry out the act, he got scared again and
exited his truck, but instead of telling him to stay out of the truck ... Carter
told him to ‘get back in.’”
The
apparent suicide happened last July, but Carter was just indicted Feb. 5 and
arraigned the following day.
The
case had not been previously publicized, and most news organizations don’t
regularly cover juvenile court.
Gregg
Miliote, a spokesman for Bristol County District Attorney Quinn, issued a
written statement Thursday outlining the basics of the case.
“Based
on the totality of the investigation, it is alleged that Ms. Carter had
first-hand knowledge of Roy’s suicidal thoughts,” he said.
“Instead
of attempting to assist him or notify his family or school officials, Ms. Carter
is alleged to have strongly influenced his decision to take his own life,
encouraged him to commit suicide and guided him in his engagement of activities
which led to his death.”
He
confirmed that Carter called and sent text messages to the victim encouraging
him to go through with the suicide.
Miliote
also said Quinn, the district attorney, has recused himself from involvement in
the case because he has a “familial relationship” to the victim.
Calls
and emails to the Carter family went unanswered Thursday night and no one
answered the door at their Plainville home.
Carter’s
attorney, Joseph P. Cataldo of Franklin, told The Standard-Times of New Bedford
Thursday night that she did not commit a crime and that the manslaughter charge
probably will be dismissed.
“This
is terrible tragedy, a young man taking his own life,” he told the
Standard-Times.
He
accused the district attorney’s office of “trying to pin the blame on
someone.”
“I
can’t understand why they brought the charge,” Cataldo said. “They’re trying to
claim there is manslaughter, when they freely admit the boy took his own life.
You can’t have it both ways.”
On
Carter’s Facebook page and on the Plainville Athletic League website, postings
say she organized a softball tournament last September to raise money for mental
health awareness in honor of her friend, Roy.
A
press release advertising the fundraiser appeared in The Sun
Chronicle.
The
event was called “Homers for Conrad,” and Carter wrote: “life can be tough, but
helping others makes it easier.”
She
also posted several messages on Facebook saying how much she loved her friend
and missed him.
The
Facebook page that was set up for the fundraising event has been taken down and
is no longer an active page.
However,
Carter posted on her Twitter page about the outcome of the fundraiser.
“Thank
you so much to everyone who came out to support Homers for Conrad! I’m so happy
to say that with your help, we raised over $2,300!” Carter posted the message on
her Twitter page Sept. 13 under the account @michyc47.
She
wrote about suicide prevention often on her social media accounts.
On
Sept. 10, 2014, she posted on her Twitter page: “National Suicide Awareness day,
I wish more people understood. I love you and miss you everyday Conrad. Help
others #WeCanEndSuicide.” She retweeted the link to a suicide prevention hotline
on Sept. 21, 2014.
Carter
was also a founding member of an organization called Connect-To-Cure, a
fundraiser that sells $10 bracelets to raise money for cancer patients at Boston
Children’s Hospital.
She
stopped by the hospital to participate in a charity event, according to an
article published in The Plainville Times, three weeks after she was arraigned
on the manslauughter charge.
Carter
was an honor roll student at King Philip Regional High School.
The
court set bail for Carter at $2,500 and ordered she have no access to the
Internet, other than for school work. She must stay off social media and is not
allowed to send text messages, other than to her parents.
The
youthful offender designation she was indicted under means she will be tried in
juvenile court, but her trial will be open to the public, unlike typical
juvenile cases. Carter was 17 at the time of her friend’s death.
Meanwhile,
the grandmother of the victim, Janice Roy, said Thursday night she did not want
to say too much about the case because it is making the family relive the
heartache of Conrad’s death.
She
did say Conrad was a good kid who had earned his boat captain’s license in only
three weeks as he went to work for the family’s marine salvage
business.
King
Philip High School officials today declined to comment on Carter and her
indictment for involuntary manslaughter.
“The
circumstances surrounding this tragic loss are under investigation. Our deepest
sympathy is extended to the family and school community of Conrad Roy,”
Superintendent Elizabeth Zielinski said.
“As
an educational institution we are bound by regulations related to the privacy of
student records. As such I will not comment on the situation, or discuss
anything that is related to any student’s record.”
The
victim had graduated from Old Rochester Regional High School and was planning to
attend Fitchburg State University.
His
father and paternal grandfather share his name and his love of the
ocean.
Conrad
Roy Jr., the father, was working a tug boat Feb. 19, 2009, when US Airways
Flight 1549 went down in the Hudson River. Roy Jr.’s tug was among the first to
come to the rescue.