# Dad said he could see his breath in room where toddler froze to death alongside single space heater

> Maine dad faces manslaughter charges after 13-month-old daughter dies of hypothermia in home with no heat.
- Title: Dad said he could see his breath in room where toddler froze…
- Summary: Maine dad faces manslaughter charges after 13-month-old daughter dies of hypothermia in home with no heat. Shane McLaughlin, 37, charged with manslaughter…
- Keywords: shane mclaughlin, eleanora ray mclaughlin, maine, hypothermia, child endangerment, manslaughter, space heater, crime, news, Dad, see, breath
- Source: Law & Crime — https://lawandcrime.com/crime/dad-said-he-could-see-his-breath-in-room-where-toddler-froze-to-death-alongside-single-space-heater-police
- Read time: 2 min
- Topics: shane mclaughlin, eleanora ray mclaughlin, maine, hypothermia, child endangerment, manslaughter, space heater, crime, news
## Shane McLaughlin charged
Shane McLaughlin, 37, faces one count of manslaughter and three counts of child endangerment for the December 2025 death of his 13-month-old daughter.
## Eleanora found dead
Eleanora Ray McLaughlin was found dead in McLaughlin's home on December 28, 2025, with the cause of death being hypothermia and manner of death accidental.
## No heat in home
Eleanora lived with her twin sister and 3-year-old brother at her father's home when she died, with no heat or running water in the middle of a Maine winter.
## Father's account
Shane McLaughlin said he could see his breath in the room where Eleanora died, using a single space heater between the girls' beds.
## State investigation
Maine State Police conducted a monthslong investigation including an autopsy by the Office of Chief Medical Examiner in April 2026.
## Mother's reaction
Eleanora's mother, Erika Dupuis, was angry and upset that McLaughlin had not been charged over their daughter's death.
## Bond and court date
McLaughlin was booked into Penobscot County Jail on $250,000 bond and scheduled to make his initial court appearance on Friday.
## Senator's concern
A state senator 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…
## Eleanora's sister
Eleanora lived with her twin sister and 3-year-old brother at her father's home when she died.
## Eleanora's mother moved
Eleanora's mother, Erika Dupuis, had moved from Maine to West Virginia the summer before Eleanora died.
## Child endangerment charges
The three child endangerment counts involve the circumstances surrounding Eleanora's death, accusing McLaughlin of recklessly endangering Eleanora and two other children by violating a duty of care.
## Father's statement
Shane McLaughlin 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.'

> 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.
## State police investigation
Maine State Police led a monthslong investigation that included an autopsy conducted by the Office of Chief Medical Examiner in April 2026.
## Manner of death
The autopsy determined that Eleanora's cause of death was hypothermia and the manner of death was accidental.
## Father's home situation
Shane McLaughlin was the only adult in the home on the wintry night when Eleanora died, with her sleeping in his room with her siblings.
## Court appearance
McLaughlin is scheduled to make his initial court appearance in Penobscot County Jail on Friday.
## Key takeaway

Shane McLaughlin, 37, charged with manslaughter and child endangerment for 13-month-old daughter's death from hypothermia in home with no heat during Maine winter.