University of Hartford Student Arrested After Allegedly Contaminating Roommate’s Belongings

Former University of Hartford freshman Brianna Brochu is facing a charge of intimidation based on bigotry or bias after she used numerous unhygienic bullying tactics to try and get her roommate to move out of their dorm room.

According to the Hartford Courant, Brochu, a white student, was arrested on Sunday after telling police that she had smeared bodily fluids on her roommate's bag and licked her utensils. West Hartford police said on Wednesday that in addition to the breach of peace and criminal mischief charges against Brochu — both of which carry maximum sentences of six months and fines — authorities sought to charge Brochu with intimidation based on bigotry or bias. Also on Wednesday, the University of Hartford said Brochu was no longer a student there.

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On Saturday, Brochu reportedly posted to Instagram referring to her bullying of her then-roommate Chennel "Jazzy" Rowe, a black student. "After 1 1/2 month [sic] of spitting in her coconut oil, putting moldy clam dip in her lotions, rubbing used tampons oh [sic] her backpack, putting her toothbrush places where the sun doesn't shine, and so much more I can finally say goodbye to Jamaican Barbie," Brochu reportedly wrote (her account is now private). Rowe says she found out about her roommate's actions from peers who saw her bragging about it on Instagram.

The Courant reported that Brochu told police she had unsuccessfully tried to change rooms after her roommate created what she alleged was a "hostile environment." She claimed Rowe showed "rude behavior" and posted Snapchat videos of her sleeping without her consent. Brochu also asserted to law enforcement that aside from the tampon-rubbing and utensil-licking acts, everything else she talked about on social media was a lie.

On Tuesday, days after Brochu's arrest, Rowe posted a Facebook Live video to share her story. She alleged that the university had initially tried to make her sign a "no contact agreement" on October 18 preventing her from speaking with Brochu, and that the university had also threatened to remove her from school if she spoke out about what had happened. She also said that she'd gotten a severe sore throat during the previous month and a half, which she attributes to Brochu's unsanitary actions. By Wednesday afternoon, Rowe's video had been viewed over half a million times.

The University of Hartford released a statement on Wednesday saying that Brochu had been expelled. "It is clear there is work to be done at our University to ensure that all students feel safe, respected, and valued," university president Greg Woodward said. "The conversations that began with student groups, faculty, and staff yesterday are going to continue and involve our full community. I am dedicated to that mission and will continue to share additional information about opportunities for our path forward in meaningful dialogue and action." Woodward also said he was working with Rowe to provide her with the best support possible.

Law enforcement officials didn't expand on the case aside from a releasing a statement saying they were looking at adding the hate crime charge to the charges against Brochu. "The department is in the process of reviewing the entire case to ensure the proper procedures were followed," the statement read.

Allure has reached out to Brochu, Howe, and the University of Hartford, and will update this post if more information becomes available.

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