On the tapes, Jessica Trefethen gives her account of the events leading up to the death of her son Maddox Williams in June 2021. She is charged with depraved indifference murder.
DHHS Maine
Child care providers say industry needs consistent financial support to survive
More than 170 Maine child care centers have shuttered since the beginning of the pandemic, and Gov. Janet Mills has proposed $12 million to fund legislation to increase the wages of workers. But much more may be needed.
State will use federal funds to give bonuses to direct care workers
The federal government has approved Maine’s request to use $126 million in American Recovery Act funding to give bonuses to new and existing workers providing home- and community-based health services.
Federal government approves Maine’s ‘Family First’ child welfare reforms
The state sought approval of its plan at a time when it is implementing numerous child welfare reforms in response to multiple high-profile abuse deaths.
State had prior involvement in most child homicide cases in Maine
A Portland Press Herald/Maine Sunday Telegram analysis of newly released details going back 14 years shows DHHS had contact with most of those families before the children were killed.
DHHS names director of new office for health equity
A Bowdoin graduate, Ian Yaffe was the head of a nonprofit that worked to help immigrant and farmworker communities with education, housing and health care.
Maine Senate votes to create separate child welfare agency
The proposal, which faces further votes in the Legislature, is a response to concerns that reforms are not happening quickly enough after several high-profile child-abuse deaths.
Lawsuit faults Maine DHHS for use of powerful medications on foster children
The federal government raised concerns about the use of psychotropic medications on Maine foster children in 2018.
State has cited 65 businesses for violating COVID-19 rules. See where they are
Two of the establishments subsequently were awarded state bailout money for which they should have been ineligible.
Facing pressure, state lab to stop processing COVID-19 tests for hospitals
Six hospitals rely on the Maine CDC lab almost exclusively, while others do so in times of surging demand.