FAIRFIELD — The mother of an 11-year-old charged with manslaughter in the death of an infant said the months since Brooklyn Foss-Greenaway died have been extremely difficult and emotional.

“You have no idea,” said Amanda Huard, of Fairfield, on Tuesday, in a carefully worded telephone exchange.

It marked the first time Huard has spoken publicly about the case since her daughter, Kelli Murphy, was charged with manslaughter on Sept. 19.

Huard said during the brief conversation that she couldn’t say more, on the advice of her attorney, John Youney, of Skowhegan.

In a separate phone conversation Youney added, “You have a three-month-old child who is dead. You have a then-10-year-old, now 11, accused of the action.

“It’s a complete tragedy all the way around. To continue to have any comment after that and to try it in the press would just compound the tragedy. There’s just no reason to do that.”

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The infant died in early July 8 during an overnight stay in Huard’s home. Brooklyn was alone with Kelli in the then-10-year-old’s room in the hours before police responded to a 911 call placed by Huard, according to others in the house at the time. The baby was pronounced dead soon after at MaineGeneral Medical Center’s Thayer Campus.

On Monday morning, just before the case came before the Skowhegan District Court, the baby’s mother, Nicole Greenaway, said Huard should be held criminally responsible for the infant’s death.

Greenaway said previously that she was told by state investigators that Brooklyn had been suffocated, suffered facial bruising and had traces of an amphetamine medication in her system. State officials have not said what caused the infant’s death.

Huard was in court Monday with her daughter when the child’s plea of no answer was entered.

Kelli was ordered by Judge Charles LaVerdiere in Skowhegan District Court to undergo a mental competence evaluation and is in the custody of the Department of Health and Human Services. Kelli is set to appear in court next on Feb. 28 for a scheduling conference.

LaVerdiere said under Maine law, if the maximum penalty were imposed against Kelli, she would live in a juvenile development facility until she is 21.

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Huard also said Tuesday that she is no longer working for the same employer as the baby’s mother.
From before the time Brooklyn died until at least late August, Huard and Greenaway worked together as medical assistants at Elmwood Primary Care, a Waterville-based health center.

In July, Greenaway, who was unavailable for comment on Tuesday, talked about the strain of working with Huard.

“We work in separate sides of the building,” she said. “I asked that she be kept separate from me. What runs through my mind is that I have to put it out of my mind … I need to be here for my other three children.”

Sarah Webster of MaineGeneral Health, which operates Elmwood, would not comment on the manner in which Huard stopped working there, citing the right to privacy of those involved.

The day after Brooklyn died, postings on Huard’s Facebook page said that the baby “stopped breathing in her sleep last night,” and that Huard was devastated because she didn’t realize it soon enough “for the cpr to work.”

Another post on the same day said Huard felt like she was living in a nightmare.

Matt Hongoltz-Hetling — 861-9287
mhhetling@centralmaine.com


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