> At a Glance
> – Shannon O’Connor, 51, faces 20 felonies for allegedly hosting secret teen drinking parties in 2020
> – Prosecutors say the gatherings led to sexual assaults and near-drowning incidents
> – Trial started Dec. 1; former student testified she urged kids to “wait until he leaves” before drinking
> – Why it matters: Case spotlights parent-enabled underage drinking and its deadly fallout
A Los Gatos mother is standing trial after prosecutors say she turned her $4 million mansion into a COVID-lockdown party hub where young teens drank themselves sick and assaulted one another.
The Parties
A former Los Gatos High School freshman told jurors he was 13 or 14 when O’Connor’s son invited football teammates and “trustworthy” girls to the September 2020 gathering. After her husband departed, the boy said, O’Connor reminded them to “wait until he leaves, don’t spill anything, don’t do anything stupid” before cases of beer emerged from a garage laundry basket.
- 40-plus misdemeanor counts of furnishing alcohol to minors
- Cases hidden under a tarp in the garage
- Teen testified he “couldn’t think too straight” and “had trouble walking”
The Charges
Court records outline 20 felony child-endangerment counts, including one incident in which a girl claims she was sexually assaulted and nearly drowned in a hot tub while O’Connor was present.
From jail, O’Connor told the Santa Cruz Sentinel she feels partially responsible:
> “It was my alcohol that they got drunk off of. It was my home that they were at.”
She added:
> “They were given immunity to point the finger at me so they wouldn’t get in trouble.”
Key Takeaways
- O’Connor admits the drinking happened in her house and blames “sneaky teenagers”
- Trial is ongoing in Santa Clara County Superior Court
- Prosecutors say the parties normalized alcohol abuse and sexual violence among minors
If convicted on the combined felonies and misdemeanors, the 51-year-old could face years in state prison.
