MILFORD — Questions remain about whether anyone will face charges following the death of 1-year-old Eleanora McLaughlin, who was ruled by the medical examiner to have died accidentally from hypothermia.
A spokesperson for the medical examiner’s office emphasized that the ruling does not eliminate the possibility of criminal charges.
State police report that Eleanora was found dead at home in December. Her father, Shane McLaughlin, stated that he had been using a space heater in the room where he slept with his three children, including Eleanora.
The children’s mother, Erica McLaughlin, who moved to West Virginia last summer, has expressed anger and frustration that no charges have been filed in connection with Eleanora’s death.
The executive director of the Maine Commission on Public Defense Services said that any legal action will depend on the full facts of the case, both public and private, and acknowledged that authorities must consider all available information before determining responsibility.
At this time, state police confirm that the investigation into Eleanora McLaughlin’s death remains ongoing.
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