Local News

Mansfield woman charged with manslaughter in death of Boston police officer John O’Keefe

The officer was found unresponsive early Saturday morning outside a home in Canton during the blizzard.

Boston police Officer John O'Keefe died after he was found outside a Canton home during Saturday's winter storm.

February 1, 2022

State police arrested a Mansfield woman in connection with the death of Boston police officer John O’Keefe, according to a statement from the Norfolk district attorney’s office.

Karen A. Read, 41, is charged with manslaughter, leaving the scene of a motor vehicle collision causing death, and motor vehicle homicide, according to the statement.

Authorities did not disclose the relationship between Read and O’Keefe. According to The Boston Globe, law enforcement officials said she was his girlfriend.

“Additional narrative information may be put into the record during arraignment tomorrow,” Norfolk District Attorney Michael W. Morrissey said. “Tonight our thoughts are very much with those whom John left behind.”

Officials say O’Keefe, 46, was found unresponsive early Saturday morning outside a home on Fairview Road in Canton during the blizzard. He was taken to Good Samaritan Medical Center, where he was later pronounced dead, according to the district attorney’s office.

Read drove to the Fairview Road area with O’Keefe, possibly shortly after midnight, according to the statement. Officials did not elaborate on what happened.

Read is scheduled to be arraigned Wednesday morning in Stoughton.