“She Ran for Her Life”: Irish Woman Found Naked Outside Massachusetts State Police Barracks After Alleged Sexual Assault

A disturbing case on Martha’s Vineyard has raised serious questions about security at a Massachusetts State Police facility after a woman from Ireland was found naked and in distress outside the barracks. A 27-year-old Boston school security official has been charged with rape and has pleaded not guilty.

A woman visiting Martha’s Vineyard reportedly fled for her life after an alleged sexual assault inside a Massachusetts State Police barracks, emerging onto a nearby road naked and desperately seeking help, according to prosecutors.

The case has sparked widespread concern because the alleged assault took place inside police housing, where the suspect was reportedly staying as a guest of a state trooper.

Edward Brown, 27, a school security official employed by Boston Public Schools, was charged with rape in connection with the incident, which allegedly occurred in the early hours of August 15, 2026. He pleaded not guilty at his arraignment in Edgartown District Court.

According to prosecutors, the woman, who is from Ireland, had been socializing with friends at The Ritz, a bar in Oak Bluffs, when she encountered a man she did not know.

What followed, investigators say, was a terrifying sequence of events that ended with the woman fleeing the barracks and being discovered by people passing along the road.

The allegations have prompted scrutiny of how visitors were permitted to stay at the facility and whether appropriate safeguards were in place.

A Night Out That Allegedly Turned Into a Nightmare

According to the account presented by Assistant District Attorney Courtney Scalice, the woman was at The Ritz when a man approached her, touched her inappropriately and attempted to buy her a drink.

The woman later told investigators that she could not remember what happened next at the bar. Her next recollection, prosecutors said, was waking up naked and face down in an unfamiliar location, with a man on top of her.

She alleged that the man restrained her and sexually assaulted her despite her attempts to resist.

Prosecutors told the court that the woman eventually asked for water. When the man left, she seized the opportunity to escape.

“She ran for her life as fast as she could,” Scalice said in court, describing the woman’s account.

The woman reportedly ran down two flights of stairs and out of the building before reaching the road outside the barracks.

Around 12:57 a.m., emergency dispatchers received two 911 calls reporting a distressed woman near the facility.

A passerby stopped to help her, and she was subsequently taken to Martha’s Vineyard Hospital. Responding officers reportedly observed bruising on her legs and a red mark around her neck.

Medical personnel collected DNA evidence as part of the investigation.

The woman’s account forms the basis of the criminal allegations against Brown. The allegations have not been proven in court.

How Investigators Identified the Suspect

Investigators initially faced the challenge of identifying the man the woman said she had encountered at the bar.

According to prosecutors, a bouncer at The Ritz remembered the individual and had a photograph of him, although he did not know his name.

Police later sent the photograph to Ryan Costello, a Massachusetts State Police trooper who had been assigned to Martha’s Vineyard for the summer.

Costello identified the man as Brown, a friend from college who had reportedly been staying with him at the barracks.

Investigators subsequently examined text messages between Brown and Costello, which were provided to authorities through Costello’s attorney in September.

Prosecutors cited messages in which Brown allegedly discussed having a woman at the barracks and asked his friend whether her presence was acceptable.

Investigators also obtained information about an Uber journey taken shortly before the emergency calls. The driver reportedly confirmed transporting a man matching Brown’s description and a woman who appeared heavily intoxicated to the state police facility.

Prosecutors said Brown gave differing accounts of the woman’s presence when discussing the incident with Costello.

These details were presented as part of the prosecution’s account at the arraignment. Brown’s defense has disputed the allegations, and the evidence remains subject to the legal process.

A Police Facility at the Center of the Investigation

The location of the alleged assault has become a central issue in the case.

The Massachusetts State Police barracks on Martha’s Vineyard provides housing for troopers assigned to the island. Brown was reportedly staying there as a guest of Costello, who prosecutors said was not present at the facility during the alleged assault.

The case has prompted questions about visitor authorization, overnight guests and oversight at police housing.

Massachusetts State Police officials said the agency was cooperating with the Oak Bluffs Police Department’s criminal investigation and conducting an internal review of applicable policies and procedures.

Colonel Geoffrey Noble described the allegations as deeply troubling and said the department was committed to maintaining safety, security and accountability at its facilities.

Following the case, state police stopped allowing guests to stay in police housing on Martha’s Vineyard and Nantucket, according to Fox News.

The policy change represents a significant response to the concerns raised by the investigation. However, the criminal allegations against Brown and any questions about institutional procedures remain separate matters that must be assessed on their respective evidence.

The Accused Official Has Pleaded Not Guilty

Brown was arrested on October 9 at Boston Latin Academy, where he worked in school security.

He was arraigned on October 13 and released after posting $10,000 cash bail, subject to court-imposed conditions, including orders to stay away from the alleged victim and witnesses.

Prosecutors had requested bail of $50,000.

Brown’s attorney, Anthony Ellison, has maintained that his client denies the allegations and intends to defend himself through the legal process.

The defense has challenged aspects of the prosecution’s account and characterized the encounter as a matter that requires further examination.

Brown’s employment with Boston Public Schools also came under scrutiny following his arrest. The school district placed him on leave pending further action.

The investigation has included cooperation between Oak Bluffs police and Boston authorities. Prosecutors also said investigators reviewed previous police reports involving allegations of harassment made by two former girlfriends. Those reports are separate from the current rape charge and do not establish guilt in this case.

Brown is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty in court.

A Victim’s Flight for Safety Raises Difficult Questions

For the woman involved, the alleged incident ended with a desperate escape from a place where she should have been able to expect basic security.

She has since returned to Ireland, according to prosecutors. Her identity has not been publicly disclosed in the reports cited here.

The case has also raised broader questions about the responsibility of institutions to maintain appropriate safeguards in facilities under their control, particularly when outside guests are permitted to stay overnight.

State police have acknowledged the seriousness of the allegations and begun reviewing their procedures. The outcome of that review, along with the criminal proceedings, will help clarify what happened and whether any policy failures contributed to the circumstances.

For now, the central facts remain stark: a woman was found naked and distressed on a road outside a police barracks, a man has been charged in connection with her allegations, and the case is moving through the courts.

As the legal process continues, the investigation will need to establish the evidence surrounding the alleged assault while respecting the defendant’s right to a fair trial.

The case has left serious questions hanging over a facility intended to serve and protect the public — questions that authorities will need to address as they work to establish accountability and restore confidence in the safeguards governing police housing.