BARRINGTON — A Barrington couple refused to allow the police into their home after officers discovered more than 20 teenagers allegedly drinking in the basement while the couple were away on vacation.

On Monday, Police Chief John M. LaCross expressed frustration over the incident and said that unless adults begin holding their children accountable for their actions, more tragedies will occur as a result of underage drinking. Four teenagers have died in Barrington as a result of alcohol-related accidents.

“When are the young adults going to be held accountable by the parents?” LaCross said. “These kids have no fear of consequences. They will continue to drink and have risky behavior.”

The police couldn’t charge any of the teenagers because the homeowner, John Place of 416 Sowams Rd., refused to allow them into his house. Place and his wife, Susan, had left their 19-year-old son, Corey, home alone while they reportedly vacationed in Maryland.

Corey Place has run afoul of the law before. Last April, he was charged with underage possession of alcohol after he and seven other teenagers were found drinking near Brickyard Pond; he pleaded no contest, was fined $150 and was ordered to perform 20 hours’ community service.

A second teenager, Ryan Greenberg, 17, was part of the group arrested. At the time, Greenburg was free on bail and facing a second-degree murder charge in connection with the death of Patrick Murphy the previous summer.

John Place had called the police on April 10, the night of the party, and asked them to check on his house at 7 p.m. and again at 11 p.m. because he didn’t want teenagers partying at his house.

When the police responded to reports of a loud party, they could hear yelling, laughing and music coming from the basement. When the police lifted the exterior bulkhead door, they said that they were “immediately overcome with a pungent odor associated with alcohol.”

Detective Lt. Dino DeCrescenzo immediately called John Place’s cell phone number, which he had left with the police.

“I told him about the odor or beer and alcohol,” DeCrescenzo said in his report. “I told him that I wanted his son to let us in the house so we could check on the safety of all the underage persons, seize the alcohol and then call everyone’s parents to ensure their safety and well-being.”

Place told the police that he wanted to call his son first. After 10 minutes, DeCrescenzo called back. Place said his son wouldn’t answer the phone. During this period, the music was turned off, the laughing and yelling stopped and the lights were turned off.

After some time, Corey picked up the phone and DeCrescenzo could hear the conversation between Corey and his parents. Corey told his parents that he wasn’t home but the police could see the youth’s truck at the house.

After speaking with the police off and on for 40 minutes, Place said he didn’t want them entering his house. DeCrescenzo told Place to get someone over to his house and Place called a friend, Joanne Mercer. Corey let her into the house and she immediately locked the door behind her.

“I told Susan Place that at least one officer should accompany Mrs. Mercer around the house to make sure everyone was accounted for,” DeCrescenzo wrote. “She kind of relayed this to her husband and he said he absolutely did not want to allow the police into the home and was yelling several other requests the kids had made. Susan said to her husband that it was the kids’ fault they were in this mess and wondered why they were listening to all of their demands.”

Place did not return phone calls last week and on Monday.

Mercer eventually got the teenagers out of the house, where they were picked up by their parents. Twenty-three people ages 16 to 19 were at the party. The police reported that a few of the teens were very drunk.

LaCross said his officers can’t enter a house unless they believe someone’s life to be in jeopardy and the parents can’t be charged under the state’s social host law because they were not at home during the party.

The chief said it was fortunate that the police broke up the party before the teenagers got behind the wheel, adding that they may have averted a serious accident.

lborg@projo.com