A former Laconia woman charged with killing her grandson on Christmas Eve 2019 will go on trial May 27, 2025.
Earlier this week, following a hearing in Belknap County Superior Court, a judge ordered that jury selection in the case of State v. Sherry Connor, 62, be held May 19, with her trial to begin eight days later.
Connor faces 13 charges in connection with the death of five-year old Dennis “Boo” Vaughan Jr.
During a hearing in August before Judge Mark Attorri, Connor, who is being represented by public defenders, waived arraignment on the charges and was ordered held without bail at the Belknap County jail. On Oct. 29, Attorri denied Connor’s motion for reconsideration of bail.
At that hearing, Belknap County Attorney Keith Cormier told the court that in December 2019 Connor had legal custody of her daughter Danielle’s four children, including Dennis, and was living with them in an apartment on Blueberry Lane in Laconia.
On the day Dennis Vaughan was killed, Cormier said Connor made him run in place for an extended period, and when he fell, Connor kicked him and struck him with a broom in the head and neck. Cormier said when the broom broke, Connor “stomped” on Vaughan and then covered him with a blanket and let him alone for four hours.
Vaughan soiled himself and ran a high fever, but Connor never sought any medical care for him and Vaughan died “several hours later,” said Cormier.
An autopsy of Vaughan, who Cormier said was just three-and-a-half feet tall and weighed 40 pounds at the time of his death, found he had 60 contusions on his body, nine on his head alone.
The medical examiner observed that many of the injuries appeared to be “new and fresh,” and occurred hours before Vaughan died, said Cormier.
Connor is charged with reckless manslaughter, negligent homicide, first-degree assault/domestic violence with serious bodily injury; two counts of witness tampering; two counts of inducing another to tamper with a witness; second -degree assault with bodily injury of a victim under the age of 13; and four counts of first-degree assault/domestic violence with serious bodily injury.
On a Facebook page titled “Justice for Dennis “Boo” Vaughan Jr., his mother posted that “Boo was his nickname, he was an amazing incredible smart boy! He was taken way to (sic) soon! As soon as this is over my love there will be a celebration of life for you my son!! I love you and will never understand what has happened and I am so sorry I wasn't there for you when you needed my (sic) the most!! I will forever internally to the core miss you!! Until I see you again I love you Boo!!!”
