Maine Dad Whose 13MO Daughter Died in Freezing Room Charged With Manslaughter

[Sugar Cookie]

Shane McLaughlin was taken into custody Wednesday and charged with one count of manslaughter and three counts of child endangerment in connection with the December 2025 death of his 13-month-old daughter Eleanora Ray McLaughlin, authorities announced.

According to a press release from the Maine State Police, Eleanora was found dead in McLaughlin's home on Dec. 28, 2025. The arrest followed a monthslong investigation led by the agency's Major Crimes Unit that included an autopsy conducted by the Office of Chief Medical Examiner in April. The autopsy determined that Eleanora's cause of death was hypothermia and the manner of death was accidental, authorities said.

Eleanora lived with her twin sister and 3-year-old brother at her father's home when she died, the Bangor Daily News reported.

The three child endangerment counts involve the circumstances surrounding Eleanora's death, according to a report from the Portland Press Herald, citing the indictment. The document reportedly accuses McLaughlin of recklessly endangering Eleanora and two other children by violating a duty of care or protection.

According to the Press Herald, the circumstances surrounding Eleanora's death drew the attention of local lawmakers. One state senator reportedly wrote to the Maine Department of Health and Human Services that Eleanora was found dead "while living in a home alongside her siblings with no heat and no running water in the middle of a Maine winter."

Eleanora's mother, Erika Dupuis, previously told WCSH that she was "angry and upset" that McLaughlin, her estranged husband, had not been charged over their daughter's death. She had reportedly moved from Maine to West Virginia the summer before Eleanora died.

Read more

Dad charged after toddler froze in room with only a space heater: Police

Shane McLaughlin is charged in the death of his 13-month-old daughter, who died of hypothermia in his heatless home nearly 10 months before his arrest.

lawandcrime.com

 

[Sugar Cookie]

Eleanora

 

[Sugar Cookie]

@BuffettGirl You want a vibrator and I want a baby

 

[runninfawn]

wow mom is angry and upset that her ex hasn't been charged wow so where was she? she moved away and left her babies behind that is where she was grrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr.... did she even worry how he would be able to look after 3 small children and also be able to work so he can provide for those babies? did he have a support group or at least someone trustworthy to look after those babies while he worked? if she left her babies with him because he wasn't working didn't she wonder how he would be able to provide for them? keep them fed with a roof over their heads, a/c in summer and heat in winter? able to pay the utilities , health insurence? diapers for prob all 3 kids, etc etc etc grrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr woman your anger and being upset is very much misplaced!!!!!! be angry and upset with yourself for leaving your babies behind!!!!!! now with video chats etc it makes me wonder if she even bothered checking up on her kids grrrrrrrrrrr if she did she sure would have found out that the babies prob were filthy due to no water, her 3 y.o. prob would have complained about being cold etc etc etc ,,, what ever possessed her to move how many states away from her babies??? i can't wrap my mind around what would make a mother leave her at the very oldest 9 months old twin babies (i gave her benifit of moving in aug) and her 3 y.o. behind and go on her merry way grrrrrrrrrrr............. and now she is angry and upset their father hasn't been charged grrrrrrrrrrrrrr .... also i am wondering if she even paid child support ............ i guess i will have to wait and see how this develops and what happens to the 3 y.o. and the other twin