Mass. Mother and Her 1-Year-Old Baby Die in Fire at N.Y. Airbnb After Owners Allegedly Lied About Smoke Detectors

A couple from New York were both charged with manslaughter after a mother and her 1-year-old daughter died in a house fire at the couple’s Airbnb home in October 2024, according to a Thursday, March 20, New York State Police (NYSP) news release.

Dennis Darcy, 57, and Meredith Darcy, 55, were both charged with two counts of manslaughter in the second degree (Class C felony) for the deaths of Shannon Hubbard, 35, and her daughter Margaret “Maggie” Hubbard, 1. 

Shannon and Maggie were killed after the Darcys’ rental home went up in flames in Clinton, N.Y, on Oct. 13, 2024, at approximately 10:30 p.m EST.

At the time of the fire, Shannon and her husband John, then 39, noticed smoke while on the patio, and she told her husband to call 911 while she attempted to rescue their children. The NYSP, East Clinton Fire Department and the Dutchess County Fire Investigation Division responded to the scene. 

Upon arrival, responders found Shannon and her children, Jack, 3, and Maggie, on the second floor of the residence, according to an Oct. 15 NYSP news release. They were then removed from the home.

The family of four was then transported to area hospitals, where Shannon and Maggie succumbed to injuries sustained in the fire.

The NYSP conducted an investigation and found that the Darcys’ home was not properly equipped with functional smoke detectors and was in violation of fire and building codes. “Fire investigators concluded that the blaze originated in the chimney flue and was not intentionally set,” per the March 20 news release.

Dutchess County Judge Michael Hayes set bail at $50,000 cash, $100,000 secured bond, or a $200,000 partially secured bond for each defendant. The New York Post reports that both posted bail. Their next court date is Monday, April 7.

“This devastating tragedy could have been prevented,” Dutchess County District Attorney Anthony Parisi said in a statement to WRGB-TV News on Wednesday, March 19. “The deaths of Shannon Hubbard and her young daughter in this senseless fire serve as a tragic reminder of the critical role smoke detectors play in safeguarding lives.”

Shannon was a preschool teacher at Chatham Elementary School, according to an Oct. 16, 2024, message from Scott Carpenter, Superintendent of the Monomoy Regional School District.

“Shannon was a beloved member of our school community, a dedicated and engaged educator, and a truly kind person,” Carpenter said in a separate Instagram statement. “Our deepest condolences go out to her family, loved ones, colleagues, students and everyone who was lucky enough to know her.”

After Shannon and Maggie’s deaths, Dennis Police Department Police Chief John Brady issued a statement on behalf of patrolman John Hubbard. “The men and women of the Dennis Police Department are mourning this heartbreaking news. Patrolman Hubbard is a valued member of our department and community, and more importantly, our friend,” Brady wrote. “We extend our deepest sympathies to him and his family.”

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Since their deaths, $246,780 has been raised through The Greg Hill Foundation to support the Hubbard family following the deaths of Shannon and Maggie.