CHESHIRE — A teenage girl has been charged after police say she and two men kidnapped, robbed, and assaulted a 19-year-old she met on social media earlier this month.
Audrey Bennett, 17, of 1284 Wolf Hill Road, was arraigned in Meriden Superior Court Wednesday on charges of first-degree kidnapping, second-degree assault, first-degree robbery, fourth-degree larceny, third-degree identity theft, third-degree forgery, payment card fraud and conspiracy.
On April 3, police were notified that a 19-year-old man was being treated at Hartford Hospital after a reported kidnapping, according to an arrest warrant. The teen told police Bennett, who he met on social media, invited him to her home. As he stood in the kitchen, two men assaulted him, the warrant said. Bennett then hit him in the head with a hammer after she took his wallet and demanded the PIN number for his bank card. One of the men also struck him with a baseball bat, according to the warrant.
The man said the trio then tied his hands, put him in his car and drove to his bank, where he was forced to withdraw $340, the warrant said. The men drove to various gas stations to receive cash back during transactions with his bank card. The total amount taken from the man’s bank account was about $969, the warrant said.
A short time later, the 19-year-old said the car stopped and one of the two men said they were at the movie theater parking lot in Southington. He was eventually able to break free and ran to call for help.
When police arrived they observed the 19-year-old had a cut above his eye with swelling, a cut on his other eyebrow, a swollen hand, bruising to his shin, and bruising on his back, the warrant said.
Cheshire police were notified by Meriden police that Bennett was at MidState Medical Center after being found intoxicated at Westfield Meriden mall. Police said the two men with Bennett matched the description of the suspects in the kidnapping, the warrant said.
Officers found a hammer in the trunk of their car.
Police went to Bennett’s home and found evidence of an assault, including blood in the kitchen sink and on the kitchen floor. Officers obtained video surveillance from the bank ATM which shows a person matching Bennett’s description approaching the ATM, the warrant said.
According to statements in court, Bennett has no adult convictions.
Attorney Mark Ouellette, who is representing Bennett, and said she is in counseling for substance abuse. Ouellette said the day of the incident Bennett consumed alcohol and pills and made “bad decisions.” She is due back in court on April 24.