Vermont day care provider convicted of causing infant's death with doses of antihistamine

RUTLAND, Vt.– A childcare provider accused of sedating a baby with an antihistamine was convicted of manslaughter and faces up to 25 years in prison if convicted.

A jury convicted Stacey Vaillancourt on Friday of manslaughter and child abuse in the 2019 death of Harper Rose Briar at Vaillancourt's home in Rutland.

The six-month-old baby was unresponsive while in Vaillancourt's care, and an autopsy revealed she had high levels of diphenhydramine, the sedative ingredient in some over-the-counter antihistamines, including the brand Benadryl. The drug is not recommended for babies without a doctor's order, and no such order existed for Harper.

Vaillancourt's attorney said there was evidence Vaillancourt sedated the child, but the prosecutor told jurors no one else could have done it.

Vaillancourt, who denied giving the child anything not provided by her parents, was released on an unsecured bond. Her attorney did not immediately return a message seeking comment Saturday.