AUBURN — A judge on Monday allowed a Buckfield man charged with murder in the 2020 death of his 2-month-old daughter to again visit with relatives, including young children, over the holidays.
Trevor Averill of Buckfield appears via Zoom in Androscoggin County Superior Court on Monday seeking a visit with his family on Christmas Day. Screenshot from video
Androscoggin County Superior Court Justice Harold Stewart II amended bail conditions for Trevor Averill, 28, who is barred from having contact with any children under 6 years old pending his trial on murder and manslaughter charges.
Last month, Stewart granted a motion by Averill to visit with relatives on Thanksgiving for two hours.
At that Nov. 23 court hearing, Stewart said he would review the Thanksgiving visit before considering Averill’s similar request for a visit with family on Christmas.
Assistant Attorney General Lisa Bogue said Monday repeated her objection from last month, saying she opposed any visitation by Averill involving young children considering the charges pending against him.
“Given the nature of the charges, the seriousness of the charges, we’re not in a position to be agreeable to the defendant having any contact with children,” Bogue said.
She said she would leave the decision to the judge’s discretion.
Bogue also said told the judge she wasn’t aware of whether Averill’s supervisors of his release had been made aware of any change in his bail conditions, including the address of where he had spent Thanksgiving.
Stewart agreed the supervising agency must be notified of Averill’s whereabouts on Christmas.
Averill’s attorney Jeffrey Wilson said Monday his client was seeking permission to visit with family from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Christmas, under the same conditions as the Thanksgiving visit.
Wilson said Averill has a large, supportive family who lives locally and gathers on holidays.
Wilson disclosed to the judge the names of the children and their parents.
Stewart said Averill could visit with relatives on Christmas Day, from noon to 3 p.m., one hour longer than he allowed on Thanksgiving Day.
During that visit, Averill will be allowed contact with the three children, but his contact must be supervised at all times by the parent of each of the children with whom he has contact, Stewart ordered.
“I think we’ve carved out some safeguards that can allow for this to happen safely,” Stewart said, noting Averill’s Thanksgiving visit appeared to have been uneventful.
Averill is free on $25,000 cash bail with conditions, including supervision by Maine Pre-Trial Services agency, with whom he must check in, in person, once a week.
Averill pleaded not guilty in September to the charges of depraved indifference murder and manslaughter in the death of his daughter, Harper Averill, who was born April 30, 2020.
Averill lived on North Parish Road in Turner last year with his daughter and her mother at the time police allege the incident occurred.
Early on July 22, 2020, the Androscoggin County Sheriff’s Office responded to that home for a report of a 2-month-old infant in medical distress.
Deputies performed CPR and assisted rescue personnel with the child, who was taken to Central Maine Medical Center in Lewiston for treatment, but was later taken by LifeFlight to Maine Medical Center in Portland, where she died from her injuries.
Averill was indicted on the two charges by a grand jury in September.
He was arrested a short time later at his Buckfield home where Wilson said Averill is living with his deceased daughter’s mother.
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