Women charged in sex assault on teenage girl

Police arrested two Old Foxon Road women Wednesday in connection with the alleged sexual assault of a 14-year-old girl last month, with one suspect accused of plying the girl with liquor, police said. The girl`s mother told police on Sept. 22 that her daughter had been sexually assaulted by a family friend in early September, Sgt. Robert Flodquist said. Melissa Welch, 22, of 262 Old Foxon Road, was charged with second-degree sexual assault and two counts of risk of injury to a minor, said Flodquist. Giovanna Portunato, 21, of the same address, was charged with risk of injury to a minor, he said. An investigation by Youth Detective Michael D`Amato found that the 14-year-old girl and a 7-year-old boy were at Welch and Portunato`s apartment on a Friday or Saturday night in early September, Flodquist said. Both Welch and Portunato were allegedly consuming alcoholic beverages, and Welch allegedly gave the 14-year-old girl two or three glasses of soda mixed with vodka and wine coolers, Flodquist said. The girl allegedly became intoxicated, and allegedly was sexually assaulted by Welch, he said. Portunato was arrested because she allegedly was present and did nothing to stop the assault, Flodquist said. Welch was held in lieu of $50,000 bail and is scheduled to be arraigned today in Superior Court in New Haven. Portunato posted $50,000 bail and is due back in Superior Court Nov. 4, Flodquist said. This was the second time this year that Welch has been charged in a case involving the alleged abuse of another person at her home. She was arrested Jan. 29 and charged with conspiracy to commit first-degree assault, among other charges, in a case in which an 18-year-old Middletown woman was allegedly burned, stabbed and beaten. Welch`s nephew, Bryon Welch, was charged with conspiracy to commit murder, among other charges. Stacy Howlett, 17, of 310 Dyer St., New Haven, was also charged. The victim in that case allegedly met Bryon Welch in a telephone chat room, police said.