YourNNY Your Source for News & Sports in Northern New York

COMPLICATIONS OF HER ADVANCED DEMENTIA… AND A RESPIRATORY ILLNESS. STACEY VAILLANCOURT… A FORMER RUTLAND DAYCARE PROVIDER… TESTIFYING IN HER OWN TRIAL TODAY. SHE IS ACCUSED OF CAUSING THE DEATH OF A 6- MONTH-OLD BABY IN HER CARE. 6-MONTH-OLD HARPER ROSE BRIAR WAS FOUND UNRESPONSIVE AT VAILLENCOURT’S DAYCARE IN JANUARY 20-19. THE CHIEF MEDICAL EXAMINER SAYS TOXICOLOGY RESULTS SHOWED HIGH LEVELS OF A COMMON INGREDIENT FOUND IN OVER-THE- COUNTER MEDICATION LIKE BENADRYL CAUSED HER DEATH. MEANWHILE… THIS MORNING…THE áDEFENSE STARTED CALLING WITNESSES. THE FIRST… A TOXICOLOGY EXPERT FROM MASSACHUSETTS. HE VIRTUALLY TESTIFIED THAT HE áDISAGREED… ARGUING IF THAT WERE THE CASE, LEVELS OF THE DRUG IN THE BABY’S BLOOD WOULD HAVE BEEN HIGHER. <WE CAN’T TELL WHAT HARPER WENT THROUGH AT THAT TIME. WE DON’T KNOW WHETHER SHE STOPPED BREATHING. WE DON’T KNOW WHETHER SHE HAD A SEIZURE. WE DON’T KNOW WHETHER SHE HAD AN ARYTHMIA. WE DON’T KNOW THE ACTUAL CAUSE OF DEATH> IF CONVICTED OF

Stacey Vaillancourt testifies on Day 5 of infant manslaughter trial

Vaillancourt took the stand on Day 5 of her trial in Rutland on Friday as the defense began calling witnesses.

Stacey Vaillancourt, the ex-daycare provider accused of manslaughter, took the stand on Day 5 of her trial in Rutland on Friday. Vaillancourt is accused of causing the death of six-month-old baby Harper Rose Briar while she was in her care in Jan. 2019.Briar was found unresponsive at Vaillancourt’s home daycare and taken to a nearby hospital, where she later died.The Chief Medical Examiner said toxicology results showed high levels of a common ingredient found in over-the-counter medication like Benadryl that caused her death.Meanwhile, earlier this morning, the defense began calling witnesses, with the first being a toxicology expert from Massachusetts. That expert virtually testified that he disagreed with the findings, arguing that if it were the case, levels of the drug in the baby’s blood would have been higher.If convicted of manslaughter and child cruelty, Vaillancourt could face up to 25 years in prison.Previous coverage:See Day 1 of the trialSee Day 2 of the trialSee Day 3 of the trialSee Day 4 of the trialThis is a breaking news story. It will be updated when more information is available.

RUTLAND, Vt. —

Stacey Vaillancourt, the ex-daycare provider accused of manslaughter, took the stand on Day 5 of her trial in Rutland on Friday.

Vaillancourt is accused of causing the death of six-month-old baby Harper Rose Briar while she was in her care in Jan. 2019.

Briar was found unresponsive at Vaillancourt’s home daycare and taken to a nearby hospital, where she later died.

The Chief Medical Examiner said toxicology results showed high levels of a common ingredient found in over-the-counter medication like Benadryl that caused her death.

Meanwhile, earlier this morning, the defense began calling witnesses, with the first being a toxicology expert from Massachusetts. That expert virtually testified that he disagreed with the findings, arguing that if it were the case, levels of the drug in the baby’s blood would have been higher.

If convicted of manslaughter and child cruelty, Vaillancourt could face up to 25 years in prison.

Previous coverage:

This is a breaking news story. It will be updated when more information is available.