STURBRIDGE — On Tuesday, June 9, 2026, at approximately 3:52 p.m., Officer Brandon Hill of the Sturbridge Police Department said a Brookfield man engaged in threatening and tumultuous behavior outside a daycare at 564 Main Street.
(The account and quotations in this article were sourced from the printed Statement of Facts of Officer Nicholas Malnati and do not reflect any political perspective or personal opinion of News Link Live, which is strictly a business entity.)
Officer Hill said witnesses reported that the man, identified as Thomas Eldred, was yelling profanities, challenging Ricky Lachambre to fight, and threatening physical harm while multiple adults and juvenile children were present.
According to police, Thomas L. Eldred, Jr., 39, is a resident of Brookfield, MA.
“Melissa Eldred and Ricky Lachambre reported that Thomas repeatedly attempted to provoke a physical confrontation and caused them to fear the situation would escalate into violence,” Officer Hill said. The Statement of Facts did not specify whether Melissa was related to or married to Thomas, nor did it identify Thomas’ relationship to Ricky.
Officer Hill said the daycare’s owner and operator, whom he described as an independent witness, confirmed that Thomas’ behavior disrupted the daycare and diverted her attention from supervising the children in her care.
“Thomas’ actions caused alarm to those present, disturbed the peace, and required police intervention,” Officer Hill said. Later adding, “Thomas was attempting to provoke a confrontation and had no lawful reason for his conduct…Multiple witness statements were obtained and officers attempted to locate Thomas following the incident.”
Thomas Eldred, 39, of Brookfield, was charged with the following:
- Disorderly Conduct
Eldred’s arraignment is scheduled for July 22, 2026, in Dudley District Court.
Disclaimer: If you are wondering why the incident in this story took place earlier this month, that’s because I had to file FOIA request(s) to obtain the court documents. FOIAs are time-consuming.
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