Stacey Vallaincourt found guilty of sedating and killing infant, faces 25 years in prison
RUTLAND, VERMONT: Stacey Vaillancourt, a local child care provider in Vermont, was found guilty on Friday, December 1, of manslaughter and child cruelty charges in the 2019 death of a 6-month-old infant under her care, as per ABC15 News.
A Rutland jury delivered a guilty verdict in the case of Stacey Vaillancourt, a Rutland child care provider accused of giving a deadly dose of cold remedy to calm an infant in her care. https://t.co/LBDPFPyk66
— Channel 3 News (@wcax) December 2, 2023
What did Harper Rose Briar's autopsy reveal?
Vaillancourt was looking after for Harper Rose Briar at her home daycare in Rutland on January 24, 2019 when the infant was put down for a nap. Harper was later found not breathing. She was rushed to the Rutland Regional Medical Center but did not survive.
An autopsy revealed high levels of diphenhydramine, a sedating antihistamine, in Harper's system. The drug is found in over-the-counter medications like Benadryl but is not recommended for children under two without a doctor's order. There was no such doctor's order for Harper.
What did prosecutors say?
Prosecutors argued that Vaillancourt was the only adult with access to Harper when the drugs were likely administered.
"Because she was an infant, the indications of oral administration rule out this baby giving the diphenhydramine to herself," said Rutland County State’s Attorney Ian Sullivan at trial. "The only other adult that had access to Harper during the relevant period was the defendant."
The defense claimed there was no direct evidence linking Vaillancourt to drugging the infant and that it could have happened days before Harper's death. "The state has not met its burden and the case should be dismissed in its entirety," stated Robert McClallen, Vaillancourt’s attorney, who unsuccessfully sought a dismissal of the case.
Stacey Vaillancourt was released on unsecured appearance bond
The trial concluded a lengthy legal battle after Vaillancourt was first arrested and charged back in 2019. She continues to deny ever giving Harper anything not provided by her parents.
The jury ultimately sided with the prosecution, convicting Vaillancourt on both the manslaughter and child cruelty charges after two days of deliberations.
Vaillancourt now faces up to 25 years in prison when sentenced later this year. She was released on an unsecured appearance bond following the verdict.
