Crime · Milford, ME
Father Charged with Manslaughter After Toddler Dies of Hypothermia in Milford
Shane McLaughlin, 37, was arrested Wednesday and charged with one count of manslaughter and three counts of child endangerment following the Dec. 28, 2025 death of his 13-month-old daughter, Eleanora Ray McLaughlin, at the family's home in Milford, Maine. Authorities say the toddler died of hypothermia after outside temperatures dropped to 13 degrees and a pet left the bedroom door open, extinguishing the space heater's warmth. A DHHS report indicates two other children were present in the home when Eleanora died, and a separate DHHS investigation involving the couple's twin girls had been closed just six days prior. State Sen. Jeffrey Timberlake, R-Androscoggin, is among three lawmakers pressing DHHS for accountability and urging officials to appear before the Government Oversight Committee, though no hearings have been scheduled.