News "I don't know how I'll wake up every morning knowing that my baby girl isn’t here with me." Updated: Dec. 5, 2021 Originally Published: March 21, 2019 GoFundMe A Vermont daycare provider has been arrested for the death of a six-month-old baby after giving the infant an overdose of diphenhydramine, a common sedative in over-the-counter antihistamines like Benadryl. “The state is alleging that the defendant sedated an otherwise beautiful, happy, healthy six-month-old to the point where that baby could not lift her head and died,” Rutland County State’s Attorney Rosemary Kennedy told The Associated Press. “From the state’s perspective that is about as serious a charge that we see in Vermont.” Following the January 24 death of Harper Rose Briar, Stacey Vaillancourt, 53, is being charged with manslaughter and child cruelty. The infant, who was found unresponsive at Vaillancourt’s in-home childcare facility in Rutland, Vt., was rushed to the hospital before passing away after just three days under Vaillancourt’s supervision. According to police reports, the autopsy revealed that Harper had high levels of diphenhydramine in her body. The sedating ingredient is only to be used with a doctor’s order, which authorities say Vaillancourt did not have. As a result, Harper’s death has been ruled a homicide. In a Facebook post, mom Marissa Briar wrote, “You drop your babies off thinking they’ll be safe for the day, you put your trust into someone to take care of and love your baby like your own. I can’t tell you how hard this is… how I will wake up every morning knowing that my baby girl isn’t here with me. My heart has been shattered. A piece of me is completely gone.” To raise money for Marissa and husband Blake’s legal expenses, a friend of the family has set up a GoFundMe page. “Harper Rose was perfect,” the woman describes. “She was a vibrant beautiful baby girl. Her smile lit up the room.” Vaillancourt pleaded not guilty to the charges on Monday and was released on $25,000 bail. If convicted, she could face up to 15 years in prison for manslaughter and up to 10 years for cruelty to a child. This article was originally published on March 21, 2019 RUTLAND, Vt. — A Vermont day care owner is facing manslaughter charges after authorities say she caused a 6-month-old baby girl’s death by giving her Benadryl. >> Read more trending news Stacey L. Vaillancourt, 53, pleaded not guilty Monday to felony charges of manslaughter and cruelty to a child resulting in death. Prosecutors said Vaillancourt caused the Jan. 24 death of 6-month-old Harper Rose Briar, who Vaillancourt had been caring for at her state-certified day care, by giving the baby Benadryl, the Rutland Herald reported. An autopsy report was completed March 13 and concluded Harper’s death was a homicide caused by diphenhydramine -- also known as Benadryl -- intoxication, the newspaper reported. The report said diphenhydramine should not be used on infants without an order from a physician, WCAX-TV reported. There was no such physician's order for Harper, a police affidavit said. It also said the diphenhydramine had to have been given to the infant within a couple hours of her death. Harper’s parents, 21-year-old Marissa Colburn and 21-year-old Blake Briar, testified that Harper was generally healthy but was usually a poor sleeper and sometimes couldn’t sleep unless she was held, the newspaper reported. Both parents testified they hadn’t given Harper medication. “In this affidavit of probable cause, the state is alleging that (Vaillancourt) sedated an otherwise beautiful, happy, healthy 6-month-old to the point that that baby could not lift her head and it died. From the state’s perspective, that is about as serious a charge as we see in Vermont,” the affidavit said. Vaillancourt’s attorney, Robert P. McClallen, said in court that his client had run the day care for about 25 years, but said she voluntarily shut the business down after Harper’s death, the newspaper reported. Vaillaincourt turned down requests for comment. If found guilty of the manslaughter charge, Vaillaincourt faces a mandatory minimum penalty of one year in jail and up to 15 years in jail. If found guilty of the cruelty to a child charge, she faces up to 10 years in jail. Cox Media Group A Vermont day care provider is accused of killing a 6-month-old girl by giving her sedatives so the infant would take a nap, PEOPLE confirms. Stacey Vaillancourt, 53, is charged with suspicion of manslaughter and child cruelty in the January death of Harper Rose Briar, the Vermont State Police Department announced in a news release obtained by PEOPLE. Vaillancourt’s arrest follows a medical examiner’s autopsy, which found that Harper Rose had high concentrations of diphenhydramine, a sedative, in her body and died of diphenhydramine intoxication. Her manner of death was ruled a homicide. The baby had been in Vaillancourt’s care for only three days when she died on Jan. 24. On the day of her death, Harper Rose was dropped off by her parents at Vaillancourt’s at-home day care. She was “happy and healthy, smiling big like she always had,” the infant’s family wrote on a GoFundMe page. However, later that day, police responded to a 911 call from Vaillancourt’s home and found the infant not breathing. “Marissa and Blake got the call no parent wants,” the family wrote on the GoFundMe page. “Harper was unresponsive and headed to the hospital via ambulance.” But Harper Rose was pronounced dead at the hospital. “They had a lot of doctors working on her but it wasn’t enough,” Harper Rose’s father, Blake Briar, wrote on Facebook. “I’m so lost for words.” • Want to keep up with the latest crime coverage? Click here to get breaking crime news, ongoing trial coverage and details of intriguing unsolved cases in the True Crime Newsletter. Authorities immediately began investigating the infant’s death. Diphenhydramine is an active, sedating ingredient in over-the-counter antihistamines, the police news release states. It is not to be used on an infant unless ordered by a physician. Investigators were able to determine that Harper Rose was given the sedative without an order from a physician. “The state is alleging that the defendant sedated an otherwise beautiful, happy, healthy 6-month-old to the point where that baby could not lift her head and died,” Rutland County State’s Attorney Rosemary Kennedy said, according to the Associated Press. “From the state’s perspective that is about as serious a charge that we see in Vermont.” Stacey L. Vaillancourt. Vermont State Police/AP/REX/ShutterstockOn Monday, dozens of Harper Rose’s family and friends attended Vaillancourt’s hearing wearing pink shirts that said “Justice for Harper Rose,” the AP reports. “None of this seems real, I can’t sleep without seeing her, I can’t open my eyes without seeing her, I can’t do anything,” Blake Briar wrote on Facebook in January. “She was the best thing that ever happened to us and I promise me and mommy are always going to love you. I love you Harper Rose Briar, Rest In Peace my beautiful daughter.” Vaillancourt’s attorney, Robert McClallen, entered a not guilty plea for his client. He did not return PEOPLE’s calls for comment Tuesday. If you suspect child abuse, call the Childhelp National Child Abuse Hotline at 1-800-4-A-Child or 1-800-422-4453, or go to www.childhelp.org. All calls are toll-free and confidential. The hotline is available 24/7 in more than 170 languages. How much Benadryl is considered toxic?With ingestions greater than 1 gram, diphenhydramine may result in delirium, psychosis, seizures, coma, and death. There is an even greater risk of seizures, coma, and death when ingestions are greater than 1.5 grams of diphenhydramine. Fatal deaths have also been reported with oral doses greater than 20 mg/kg.
Can a child overdose on Benadryl?Yes. As mentioned earlier, many diphenhydramine overdose cases happen in children younger than 6 years old. This is usually due to giving a child too much Benadryl.
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Daycare worker kills baby with benadryl
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