A McLean couple is facing criminal charges after a small gathering they hosted for their 13-year-old sons spiraled into a chaotic scene involving hundreds of teenagers, fireworks and a heavy police response.
Lisa Vaughan, 45, and Aubrey Vaughan, 55, were charged with contributing to the delinquency of a minor and maintaining a common nuisance after Fairfax County police responded to their home on Nov. 6. Both have turned themselves in and were released on $1,000 unsecured bonds each.
The couple’s attorney, Alaric Piette, said the Vaughans had intended to host an eighth-grade gathering of 10 to 20 classmates. But the invitation spread on Snapchat, eventually reaching students at a local high school and drawing a crowd far beyond anything the family had planned for.
“They wanted to maintain a safe place, free from alcohol, for kids to have a good time, but they had no control about all the kids that arrived and caused chaos in their neighborhood,” Piette told FOX 5.
Police received multiple 911 calls around 9:03 p.m. reporting an out-of-control party, with callers estimating between 100 and 300 people at the home. Officers arriving on scene found a large crowd and fireworks being set off.
Aubrey Vaughan told FOX 5 he had “zero idea” high schoolers would show up and that he and his wife tried, without success, to keep the uninvited teens out of their backyard and home. He estimated the whole episode lasted about 45 minutes, saying he recognized things were getting out of hand roughly 10 to 15 minutes before police arrived.
Police described the gathering as an “underage drinking party,” a characterization Vaughan disputed. He said the original invitation explicitly barred alcohol and bags, and that he and his wife were present and supervising the entire time. Piette said the parents welcomed officers to inspect the party area, but police declined the offer.
Vaughan apologized to neighbors afterward, saying he was “embarrassed” by how quickly the night got out of control. He and his wife had their sons go door-to-door to apologize once police had dispersed the crowd.
“There will be no more,” Aubrey Vaughan told FOX 5 DC, of future gatherings at the house. “We’re done.”
Fairfax County Police Chief Kevin Davis said the case illustrates a dilemma familiar to many parents weighing whether to host teens at home rather than let them socialize unsupervised elsewhere.
“I think it’s universally a bad idea to host anything at a home,” Davis said, warning that large gatherings involving alcohol, drugs or reckless behavior can turn dangerous quickly.
Davis added that “parents have to be parents” and “adults have to be adults,” cautioning that good intentions can carry unintended consequences.
Vaughan said he holds no resentment toward the officers who responded, crediting them with helping break up the crowd. “The lesson is just make sure you’re watching Snapchat,” he told FOX 5.
No teenagers who attended the gathering have been charged, according to police.
