Two prisoners from region have died due to COVID-19
Both were serving time for sex assaults of girls
Two New London County men convicted of sexually assaulting young girls have died due to COVID-19 complications while serving their prison sentences.
Edward Allen, 74, who had lived in Groton and Pawcatuck, was convicted of three counts of first-degree sexual assault and three counts of risk of injury to a minor in 2011. He had remained free on a $250,000 bond until 2013 while appealing his conviction, which called for serving 13 years in prison.
He died in May 2020 at the UConn Health Center, according to Connecticut Mirror reporting sourced from the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner and the Department of Correction. Allen was a retired welder who had been employed at Electric Boat, according to public records.
Gary Elston, 69, who had lived in Waterford and Groton, was serving a 12-year sentence stemming from charges of sexual assault and injury/ risk of injury to a child. In 2015 he turned himself in on a warrant that charged he had sexually assaulted a 9-year-old girl.
Thus far, 19 Connecticut inmates have died due to the coronavirus, 12 of them since November 2020, according to the DOC. The DOC announced six inmate deaths from COVID-19 in January, five in December and one in November.
While the DOC puts out news releases when an inmate dies, the inmate’s name is not included. However, by cross-referencing the dates of death, offenses and other information included in the bare-bones, boilerplate releases, their identities can be discerned.
“A 74-year-old male is the sixth offender under the supervision off the Connecticut Department of Correction to pass away from complications related to the novel coronavirus. Due to medical privacy laws, the names of the individuals are not being released,” the DOC’s release about Allen read. “The deceased individual was transferred from the Osborn Correctional Institution to a local hospital for treatment on April 23, 2020. He succumbed to his illness on Tuesday, May 5, 2020. He last entered the Connecticut correctional system on May 21, 2013, and was serving a 13-year sentence for Sexual Assault in the First Degree — with a victim under the age of 13.”
The release notes that Allen’s maximum release date was April 2025. His death followed the deaths of two other inmates the day before.
The latest release about an inmate’s death, from Jan. 25, says that the DOC was preparing to vaccinate its staff and inmate populations, and that the death “underscores the importance of getting vaccinated.”
Allen’s case was a high-profile one. In 2011, he was sentenced in New London Superior Court for performing deviant sexual acts on a 7-year-old girl who lived in his former Groton neighborhood. The survivor disclosed the sexual assaults four years before Allen’s sentencing when her mother told her that Allen was coming to visit the family. He had reportedly taken the family in during a difficult time in 2000.
The ensuing investigation led town police to another witness, a 27-year-old woman who had lived in Allen’s Groton neighborhood and said he had also sexually assaulted her years earlier. Allen was not charged in connection with the older woman’s complaint because the statute of limitations had expired. The victims didn’t know each other, but both were familiar with pornographic videos and devices in Allen’s bedroom, and both were willing to describe them in excruciating detail in open court.
The testimonies were, according to Day reporting at the time, viscerally emotional.
“During the trial, not just one weeping young woman, but two, took the witness stand and pointed at Allen to identify him as her attacker,” according to a 2011 report published in The Day. Prosecutors David J. Smith and Christa L. Baker telephoned the younger victim’s mother with the verdict as soon as court adjourned.
The parents of the older woman were in the courtroom to hear the verdict convicting Allen.
“The mother cried and hugged Baker. The father, who had glared coldly at Allen throughout the trial, smiled broadly,” the story read. “The couple said Allen had ruined their daughter’s life to the extent that they are now raising her two children. They said they hope he spent the rest of his life in prison.”
“‘Now I know my grandchildren will be safe from him,’ the mother said.”
Allen had refused a plea bargain when a state’s attorney offered him a deal that involved just a few years in prison. His final sentence wound up being much longer.
“It could be a life sentence for the 65-year-old Allen, though his attorneys have said there would be an appeal,” the 2011 story read.
The DOC news release about Elston’s death states that he died due to complications from the coronavirus.
“The 69-year-old male had been transferred from the Agency’s MacDougall Walker Medical Isolation Unit to an outside hospital for treatment on December 15, 2020, where he succumbed to his illnesses on Tuesday morning, December 22, 2020,” the statement reads.
“He last entered the Connecticut correctional system in October of 2015, and was serving a 12-year sentence for Sexual Assault in the First Degree, and Injury or Risk of Injury to a Minor.”
Elston’s maximum release date was April 2027. He wasn’t eligible for parole until this April.
“I would be lying if I said that hearing this bad news was not disheartening, but it only strengthens my resolve to continue the Agency’s fight to combat the spread of this virus,” Commissioner Designate Angel Quiros said in the December release. “My condolences go out to his family.”
“The inmate death comes as the Department, the State and the nation at large grapple with the height of the second wave of the pandemic,” the statement concludes.
Our prayers were answered, as our country voted the divisive Donald Trump out of office. It could not happen fast enough.
Though it was no surprise he would stamp his feet and scream all the way out of the White House, claiming fraud and, to quote our former delusional president, “We won in a landslide.” His loyal supporters, which included white nationalists and other racist groups, believed in his outright lies of election fraud that led to the insurrection at the Capitol.
Trump was right about one thing, when he stated, “I could stand in the middle of Fifth Avenue and shoot somebody, and I wouldn’t lose any voters.”
His base did not care about facts or the integrity of their candidate but were willing to follow him blindly down a destructive path. Trump loved an authoritarian style of leadership and used chaos to control. He once stated, “Real power is — I don’t even want to use the word — fear.”
Trump sadly brought out the worst in our country, in stirring people’s anger, fears, dividing people and empowering hate groups. May Donald Trump slowly fade into the night and go down as one of our worst presidents in history. It is time for America to start recovering and bring back truth, decency and compassion.
Scott Sanford Montville
— Robert New London Thomas Sullivan Jr., affectionately known as “Bobby” or “Rob,” 43, of 65 Dennison Ave., New London, was at home Feb. 5, 2021, when he unexpectedly passed into the presence of his Lord and Savior. Born Dec. 1, 1977, at Lawrence + Memorial Hospital in New London, he was the beloved son of Robert and Donna Sullivan.
Rob grew up in Niantic, and went through the East Lyme school system. He was a very athletic guy and excelled at anything with a ball. However, his greatest legacy is his daughter Kayla. She was the love of his life, and she looks forward to the day they will be reunited.
Rob will be missed by all who have fun-loving memories of his vibrant and caring personality. He had a deep love for people and Christian music, and he was always willing to lend a helping hand. The quiet nights ahead will be hardest as Bob and Donna will miss evening FaceTime chats with their son; and his sister Michelle will miss conversations with Bobby discussing deep biblically doctrinal issues. Knowing he is home with the Savior he deeply loved, brings great comfort and peace to friends and family during their time of grief. They are thankful that even at a young age Rob knew the love of Jesus. He knew that Jesus cared for him so much that He was willing to pay for Rob’s (and all of mankind’s) sins on the cross; and that our personal salvation is not about what we can do to please God and others, but what only Jesus could do for us.
Rob had a heart for sharing Jesus with anyone who would listen and loved to watch Pastor JD Farag of JDFarag. org. At the end of every sermon, Mr. Farag presents the ABCs of FAITH, of which Bobby would want us to take even this opportunity to share with you as well. First you must know the Gospel found in 1 Corinthians 15:1-4, which paraphrased states, that Jesus was crucified; He was buried and He rose again on the third day; thus defeating death and paying for the sins of all mankind. The ABCs of FAITH is how we can respond to this Good News! Admit or acknowledge you are a sinner and fall short of God’s perfect standard. Romans 3:10 says, “There is none righteous, no not one;” and Romans 3:23 confirms that, “All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.” And as a result, Romans 6:23 tells us the bad news that, “The wages of sin is death.” However, there is good news at the end of this verse: “but the free gift of God is eternal life through Christ Jesus.” Bobby would want you to know how to accept that free gift talked about it Romans 6:23, and that would be by —
Believing in your heart that Jesus is Lord, and
Calling upon the name of the Lord unto salvation.
Romans 10:9-10 says, “If you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus, and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you confess and are saved.” And lastly, Romans 10:13 assures us, “for whoever calls upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.” Rob would beg you not to let this opportunity to secure your eternity slip by. No one is guaranteed their next breath; take this one to choose Christ and take the next one to share with his friends and family your story. This would mean so much to them.
Just two days before his passing, Rob posted this verse to his Facebook page as spoken by Jesus — “Let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in Me. In my Father’s house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto Myself; that where I am, there ye may be also.” (John 14:1-3 KJV) Although it is Jesus speaking in this verse, Rob is there right beside the Savior and longs to see you with him in Heaven someday. As a nation, if we have learned one thing over this past year ... life is hard, but eternity doesn’t have to be.
Rob is survived by his beloved daughter Kayla Sullivan; his parents Bob and Donna Sullivan; his sister Michelle Chappell, her husband and their six children: Abbey, Hudson, Emma, Jackson, Quinn, and Calvin. He is predeceased by his brother Jim Sullivan.
Fulton-Theroux will be handling all burial procedures. No formal ceremonies will be planned at this time. An outside memorial will be considered when the weather permits. There is a GoFundMe for the family, in lieu of heartfelt gifts.