Officers suspended due to death of Tonie Wells back in the field years later

Prosecutors say the couple was arguing while their then-21-month-old daughter was locked out in the hallway.

News 12 Staff

Feb 11, 2021, 1:12 AM

Updated 1,181 days ago

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The NYPD officers who were suspended for not getting out of their car when called to a 2017 altercation that ended with a woman's death have been allowed to keep their jobs.
Tonie Wells was found strangled inside a Sterling Place apartment in Crown Heights in 2017. Wells’ husband, Barry Wells, was later arrested and charged with murder. News 12 previously reported that Wells had filed several orders of protection against Barry. 
The NYPD tells News 12 that those officers are now currently on active duty, three years after the 22-year-old’s death. 
Prosecutors say the couple was arguing while their then-21-month-old daughter was locked out in the hallway.
The family says there was a history of abuse between Wells and her husband Barry, but that the NYPD failed them in the response to the fatal altercation. 
 "You could have saved my daughter man, you all could have got out of that car and saved my daughter,” said Elizabeth Rivera, Tonie Wells' mother. 
Brooklyn Borough President Eric Adams, a former officer now running for mayor, tweeted saying, “Anytime a failure to do your job causes the loss of an innocent life--there should be automatic termination.” 
The NYPD tells News 12 it is prohibited from providing any more information because of an active court order.
The Brooklyn District Attorney’s Office tells News 12 that Barry Wells has a court conference on March 18. 
Barry Wells is currently being held at Rikers Island.


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