Auburn, Maine — The trial for a man from Buckfield accused of fatally injuring his two-month-old daughter in July 2020 is set to commence with jury selection on Thursday. Trevor Averill stands charged with both depraved indifference murder and manslaughter, to which he has entered a plea of not guilty.
The incident unfolded on July 22, 2020, when emergency services were summoned to a residence on North Parish Road in Turner following a distress call about a child choking. Prosecutors contend that the infant, Harper Averill, suffered critical injuries due to being shaken by her father. These injuries included a fractured skull, severe bleeding in the brain, and spinal trauma.
According to the child abuse expert called upon by the prosecution, there is evidence that suggests Harper was subjected to previous instances of abuse. Notably, this includes healing rib fractures that are estimated to have occurred roughly ten days prior to the fatal incident.
The state’s case alleges that Trevor Averill was the sole caregiver present during the time his daughter sustained the injuries that led to her death. The nature of the harm inflicted upon Harper was described by authorities as exceptionally violent.
On the day preceding the tragic events, prosecutors claim Harper displayed normal health and behavior. However, during the early hours around midnight, the situation rapidly deteriorated after Averill had changed her diaper. It was at this time that Harper reportedly began choking and subsequently became unresponsive.
In a statement to investigators, Averill denied any involvement in his daughter’s injuries. He maintained that the infant simply started choking. Despite his assertions, the medical examiner’s findings highlighted the severity of Harper’s injuries and pointed towards a pattern of abuse.
The trial, anticipated to start on January 21, will see these allegations discussed in detail at the Androscoggin County Court, with proceedings slated to begin at 8:30 a.m. this Thursday. The case has drawn attention due to the grave nature of the charges and the age of the victim involved.
This is a complex legal matter that will delve into challenging questions about child welfare, parental responsibility, and criminal behavior, testing the abilities of the judicial system to adjudicate cases involving vulnerable victims.
This article was generated by artificial intelligence from OpenAI. Please note that the accuracy of the people, facts, circumstances, and other details in the story as described may be incorrect. For concerns about the content, please contact [email protected] for corrections, retractions, or removal requests.