A father has been charged with manslaughter after his 13-month-old daughter was found lifeless in a freezing bedroom at their home in Milford, Maine. Eleanora Ray McLaughlin died of hypothermia, according to the Office of Chief Medical Examiner spokesperson Lindsey Chasteen.
Discovery and Arrest
The tragic incident happened on December 28 last year. Her father, Shane McLaughlin, 37, told local outlet News Center Maine that he was sleeping in the same room as his children. He said a space heater was used to warm the room, but claimed a family pet left the door open, allowing freezing air to take over overnight.
The father was arrested last Wednesday and appeared in court on Friday. He pleaded not guilty to one count of felony manslaughter and three counts of child endangerment, radio station Wgan reports.
Father's Account
McLaughlin previously said the temperature in the room was so low he could see his own breath, but he only noticed how cold it was when he woke up in the morning. He then made the heartbreaking discovery when he went to wake the toddler.
He said: "I grabbed a package of Pop-Tarts, opened it up, and I went to wake up Eleanora, and that’s when I found her dead."
Family Background
The girl's estranged mother, Erika Dupuis, moved to West Virginia in the summer of 2025 to build a better life for her family, hoping to eventually bring her children to live with her. Eleanora also had a twin sister and a brother aged three, the mother said.
According to Maine State Senator Jeff Timberlake, the family has previously been investigated by the state's department of health and human services. The father allegedly confirmed he and his estranged partner had been probed multiple times since 2017, but he disagreed with the findings.
