Maine Mom Of Dead Toddler Defends Herself, Denies Abandoning Children By Moving Away

The mother of a Milford baby who froze to death is pleading with the public for understanding, saying, “I didn’t just up and abandon my children.”

Erika Dupuis posted an essay on Facebook trying to explain herself and her family’s difficult situation.

Dupuis’ 1-year-old daughter Eleanora McLaughlin died from hypothermia in December while she and her two siblings were with the mother’s ex-husband.

“The plan was to leave them with my ex till we got set up in a new state,” she said, referring to herself and her boyfriend now living in West Virginia.

“I left my children with $4,000 cash, I stocked up on groceries, diapers & wipes, formula everything they would need for the short time we would be gone,” Dupuis said.

In the Facebook post, she denied that the Milford house in which the children were living had no heat and no water, although in a previous posting she had said that the house lacked utilities.

Dupuis now says the house had a space heater and a new water supply but admitted that the furnace which had conked out was never repaired.

“I didn’t leave my children for drugs like everyone’s saying,” she adds. “I’ve been clean this entire time. Yes I smoke a little pot for pain as I have a chronic tailbone pain issue.”

“I love my children to no end and it kills me everyday that El is gone,” Dupuis writes. “But my other two children are happy and healthy and doing amazing and that makes it a little easier.”

The remaining two siblings are currently in the care of their grandparents.

Dupuis contends the reason she hasn’t returned to maintenance because she fears for her safety.

“If anyone has any further questions about anything please feel free to reach out to me,” she said. “I just wanted everyone to understand my side of the things; I’m not a bad person, just someone who always gets dealt the crappy card in life.”