Lisa Barney, the Oakland woman charged with manslaughter in the death of a 4-month-old infant last year, ran a licensed family child care out of her Oakland home.

Lisa Barney Photo courtesy of the Kennebec County Correctional Facility

Little Angel’s Family Child Care, at 121 Allagash Drive, which was owned and operated by the 54-year-old Barney, closed down the day the manslaughter is alleged to have taken place, and parents were notified to come pick up their children, according to the Maine Department of Health and Human Services, which oversees licensing for child care providers.

The child care operation reopened for a short time a few days later, before Barney agreed with a state request to close the facility again. Barney’s license has since expired.

Barney was arrested Sept. 20 after a yearlong investigation into the death of a 4-month-old infant on Sept. 8, 2023, according to a news release from Lt. Aaron Turcotte, a troop commander with Maine State Police.

Turcotte said the incident that led to the manslaughter charge occurred in Oakland on Aug. 31, 2023. Eight days later, an autopsy was conducted on the child by the Office of Chief Medical Examiner in Augusta. The child’s death was ruled a homicide, but the cause of death is still pending.

Officials at DHHS confirmed this week that Barney was licensed as a family child care provider, from May 22, 1997, until her license expired Nov. 16, 2023.

On Aug. 31, 2023, the day the manslaughter allegedly took place, children’s licensing and investigation services officials with DHHS received a report regarding Barney’s licensed child care. “The provider requested all parents come and pick up their children that day and remained closed on Friday, September 1st through the following Monday, September 4, which was Labor Day,” according to an email from Lindsay Hammes, DHHS spokesperson, in response to an inquiry into Barney’s child care licensing.

Hammes said Barney reopened her child care facility, which was licensed to care for up to eight children, on Sept. 5, 2023, but then agreed to a DHHS request to voluntarily close the operation that day.

Hammes said the department is in the process of finalizing its investigation into the matter and is unable to provide further comment.

A Kennebec County grand jury indicted Barney on a manslaughter charge Sept. 19. A warrant was issued and she was arrested the next day at 9:15 a.m. by Maine State Police Major Crimes Unit detectives, who charged her with manslaughter.

Barney was initially jailed at Kennebec County Correctional Facility in Augusta on $100,000 bail. She was bailed out Sept. 20, the same day she was arrested, according to a jail official, with the bail being a $100,000 lien on property. Her bail conditions include that she have no contact with anyone under 18 years old.

The child was not identified by authorities, other than a date of birth in the manslaughter indictment.

The indictment states that on or about Aug. 31, 2023, “Lisa Barney did recklessly or with criminal negligence cause the death of another human being.”

Barney’s residence is listed, in court documents, as the same address as the former child care.

Barney made an initial court appearance Sept. 20. Her next court date is scheduled for Dec. 3, according to court records.

Manslaughter is a Class A charge punishable by up to 30 years in prison.