Staff Writer
Following a two-day trial and deliberations, lasting two and a half hours, a Superior Court jury, last week found 25 year-old Heather Fortin of Limestone, not guilty of manslaughter in the death of Teairra Leathers, the 20-month-old daughter of Rena Leathers. The case against the young woman stemmed from charges that the child was the victim of apparent blunt-force trauma to the head, resulting in her death, while in Fortin’s care, June 18, 2007. State Police arrested Fortin on June 27, charging her with manslaughter.
After her arrest, Fortin spent a period of time in the Aroostook County Jail in Houlton prior to being released on bail. Fortin pleaded not guilty to the charges brought against her by the state.
Fortin’s defense attorney Jon C. Gale felt there were problems with the State’s case, noting that investigations into other possible suspects in the child’s death had failed to be done satisfactorily.
Assistant Attorney General Andrew Benson implied that the State had felt a conviction would be difficult with so much of the evidence being circumstantial.
Justice Kevin Cuddy presided at the trial.
