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Who was Connie Crowell? Connecticut mom drove SUV into river to kill herself and special needs son, refused help

Crowell reportedly refused the assistance of a local boater who tried to rescue the mother-son duo from drowning. Investigators are now calling it a murder-suicide
UPDATED FEB 19, 2021
Connie Crowell drove her SUV into a river with her son Jack leading to their deaths in July 2020 (Dignity Memorial — Suzanne Herlihy, Connie Crowell obituary)
Connie Crowell drove her SUV into a river with her son Jack leading to their deaths in July 2020 (Dignity Memorial — Suzanne Herlihy, Connie Crowell obituary)

MONROE, CONNECTICUT: Connie Crowell and her adult son John Crowell aka Jack — were found dead inside an SUV that submerged in Lake Housatonic, a part of the Housatonic river in Monroe, Connecticut, on July 31, 2020. After a prolonged investigation, the Seymour Police Detective Division finally released a report on Wednesday, February 17, stating that Crowell intentionally drove herself and her 22-year-old son into the river causing their death.

In fact, the 54-year-old mother deliberately refused to be rescued by a nearby boater who first found them. The incident has been branded as a unique case of homicide/suicide.

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Who was Connie Crowell?

According to her obituary on Dignity Memorial, Connie Crowell was a resident of Monroe and a mother of two. She was born to William and Ina McKenna in North Adams, Massachusetts, later graduating from Fairfield University in Connecticut with a master's degree in education. 

Crowell was employed as a teacher at Playtots Preschool in Easton. She also worked as a teacher at Trumbull Loves Children at some point, as informed by a certain Laurie Tomboulides in the comments, where they mentioned Crowell treating their son Nicholas nicely. Tomboulides also informed that they knew Crowell when she was pregnant with her son Jack, who was a special needs individual. 

Crowell was a religious person who attended the Christ Church Easton. She was well-known in the community for her good work at the Monroe Parents' Council and ADAM (Alcohol and Drug Awareness of Monroe) program.

Crowell with her dog Etta (Dignity Memorial — Obituary, Connie Crowell)

Apart from Jack, Crowell was also the mother of another son — Lucas, whose father has been named Patrick. Crowell's own father William passed away before her death. Her obituary mentions that she is survived by her mother Ina, sisters Jane and Sue, brothers Bill and David, and her nieces Molly and Apryle, apart from her son Lucas and his father Patrick. 

In the memories section, Crowell's friends and acquaintances have poured in heartwarming recollections about her. Andrea Chase, who was Crowell's roommate in university, recounted her fondly as "Conan". She shared how Crowell was passionate about writing in the school newspaper and was also an amazing mother. Suzanne Herlihy, who worked as a physical therapist with Jack, recalled that Crowell was gentle, kind and extremely devoted towards Jack. 

Why did Crowell kill herself and her son?

It is unclear what led Crowell to take the drastic step. The report by Seymour Police informed that the 54-year-old mother drove her vehicle intentionally into Lake Housatonic, a part of the Housatonic River off Route 34/Roosevelt Drive. 

The tragic incident was reported to police at 3.43 pm on July 31, 2020, and led to a large-scale rescue effort. Before the police launched the rescue mission, it is reported that a local boater found the vehicle submerged in water and attempted to rescue Crowell and her son. However, Crowell refused to accept the boater's assistance and did not want to be rescued. 

If you or someone you know needs emergency support, contact the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-8255.

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