BUCKFIELD — A former Turner resident was charged Wednesday with depraved indifference murder and manslaughter in the death of his 2-month-old daughter in July 2020, becoming the fifth parent in Maine to be charged this year with murder or manslaughter in the death of a child.
Trevor Averill Androscoggin County Jail photo
Trevor Averill, 27, who lived at 592 North Parish Road in Turner last year, was indicted by a grand jury Wednesday and was arrested at his home at 10 Daniel Lane in Buckfield by Maine State Police.
The Androscoggin County Sheriff’s Office responded to 592 North Parish Road for the report of a 2-month-old infant in medical distress on July 22, 2020, the state police said in a news release. Deputies performed CPR and assisted rescue personnel with the child, who was identified as Harper Averill. The infant was brought by ambulance to Maine Medical Center in Portland for treatment.
She died as a result of her injuries, police said.
“The Office of Chief Medical Examiner conducted an autopsy following the death,” the release said. “Detectives from the Major Crimes Unit South and the Androscoggin County Sheriff’s Department have been working on this case for the last 13 months and collaborated in their investigation with Spurwink services, (the Department of Health and Human Services), the Office of Chief Medical Examiner and the Maine Attorney General’s Office.”
A state report released this month that reviewed 143 child deaths in Maine since 2007 found that 30 children have died from homicides, another 35 died while “co-sleeping” with adults and 26 more were killed in other accidents.
The report came at a time when Maine’s child welfare programs are again the focus of several internal and external reviews. Late last month, a Milo man became the fourth parent in Maine to be charged this year with murder or manslaughter in the death of a child.
Police did not say how they believe the child sustained her injuries. According to the indictment, police charge that Averill “did engage in conduct that manifested a depraved indifference to the value of human life and which in fact caused the death of Harper Averill. …”
Averill’s Facebook page features several photos of him holding his daughter and expressing his joy at being a father.
He was being booked at the Androscoggin County Jail in Auburn later Wednesday with bail set at $50,000.
Comments are not available on this story.
Send questions/comments to the editors.
