Cooper Ouellette trial plays cell phone audio of Sophie Ringquist's final moments
Prosecutors presented video and audio from the teen's phone in the manslaughter case, alongside family testimony about the night she was dropped off at her home.
By Matthew Turner ·
A female scream and the roar of a truck engine played from a cell phone on the first day of the manslaughter trial for Cooper Ouellette.
The audio, extracted from the phone of Sophie Ringquist, was part of a video recording from the night of May 20, 2023. Ringquist, who was 17, died the following day. The prosecution showed the video to the jury in New Britain, where Ouellette faces charges of manslaughter and delivering alcohol to a minor.
Detective Robert Criscione of the Connecticut State Police testified about the data extraction. He described how the phone captured the sounds from inside the vehicle where Ringquist was being transported. The trial resumed Friday after the first day of testimony focused on the final hours of the teen's life.
Ringquist's family members provided the first accounts of the night. Her mother, Lynne Ringquist, testified that she found her daughter slumped in the passenger seat of Ouellette's truck. Lynne Ringquist stated that Sophie was not moving or talking when they placed her body on the ground. Her father, Scott Ringquist, and brother, Jackson Ringquist, recalled hearing a loud scream from Sophie when she arrived at their home.
The family drove Sophie to the hospital after deciding the volunteer ambulance would take too long to respond. During cross-examination, Lynne Ringquist said she did not smell alcohol on Ouellette. However, Scott Ringquist and Jackson Ringquist testified that they did detect the smell of alcohol on him at the house.
Detective Matthew Harrington took the stand to present physical evidence. He wore gloves and cut open evidence bags to display Ringquist's bloodstained sweatshirt, socks, and a cowboy boot. Detective Tyler Bastos also testified, showing the jury photographs taken during Ringquist's autopsy.
The arrest warrant alleges that Ouellette stomped on the gas pedal while Ringquist was recording a selfie video, causing her to fall. The warrant further claims he dragged her back into the truck, made an abrupt stop that ran her over with a tire, and then dropped her off at her house.
Source: New Canaan Advertiser (NCA)
