HOULTON, Maine — Twenty-five-year-old Michael C. Shain of Houlton was arrested on Aug. 10 on charges of domestic assault and child endangerment after police were called to a Reservoir Hill Road house the day before for a report of a drug overdose.
Houlton Police Chief Butch Asselin said Wednesday afternoon that an ambulance crew found an unconscious 27-year-old woman at the house, who they then transported to Houlton Regional Hospital.
Four hours later, the Houlton Police Department received a call from the victim’s father requesting to see a law enforcement officer at the hospital.
Officer Theron Bickford met with the father and later was assisted by Detective Kris Calaman, who contacted Asselin at approximately 7:30 p.m. and told him the victim had significant injuries, described as bruising in several locations on her body and minor injuries to her mouth. He also said that the victim may have had a partially collapsed lung.
The victim was placed in a drug-induced coma and later was taken by ambulance to Maine Medical Center in Portland.
Police said that Shain was allegedly at the residence for several hours while the victim was unconscious.
A mutual friend visited the residence at Shain’s request and urged him to call 911. Shain did not, and the friend left for fear that if police were called, they would arrest him on outstanding warrants, police said.
A concerned relative of the victim happened to visit the home and, finding the woman unconscious, called for help. Shain was not present upon the relative’s arrival, but the victim’s 4-year-old twin daughters were inside the home, police said.
Asselin said the 4-year-olds told relatives that Shain forced pills into the victim’s mouth while she was unconscious. The victim reportedly was choking on the medication as it was being placed in her mouth. Little, if any, of the medication was believed to have been ingested, police said.
The victim was unconscious for several hours before the ambulance crews’ arrival, Asselin said.
Pills were scattered on the rug in the area where the victim was found, police said.
The victim regained consciousness on Saturday, Aug. 11, and has been released from the hospital. She is expected to recover.
Shain was arrested at his residence the next day.
The chief said Shain had been arrested in April 2012 for domestic assault involving the same woman. He pleaded guilty to the offense on May 29 and was sentenced to 9 months in jail with all but 30 days suspended, and was placed on probation for a year. Because of the prior conviction for domestic assault, the new offense is elevated to a Class C crime, punishable by up to five years in prison and a fine of up to $5,000.
Shain was being held at the Aroostook County Jail in Houlton on Wednesday, pending arraignment on this charge and for violating his probation. A protection from abuse order, on behalf of the children, was filed against Shain.
The Department of Health and Human Services also was involved in the investigation, Asselin said on Wednesday.
Well thankfully those children will now have a voice in their care. Poor girls, hope like heck mom didn’t just let him back in and forgive him from the last time. I am glad she is safe and if it turns out he forced his way back in I think the charges should be even more elevated…really sounds like he was trying to kill her.
For God’s sake….could this story have been any worse, other than something happening to those 4 yr old girls? Shame on the mom for letting this creep around her boys…AGAIN. She needs to turn those kids over to someone who can PROPERLY care for them. Obviously, she cannot. May God be with those girls….they already have enough garbage in their brains to carry for a lifetime.
DHS has been alerted. calm down your children will also be remanded for 3 months
Who said anything about the mom “letting” him in?
AND, I am glad that Officer Bickford was the officer presiding, as he is an outstanding individual…
What is going on in Houlton,
need to do whats best for your kids. don’t let an abuser back in.
That’s usually way easier said than done. Most domestic violence homicides take place when the victim tries to leave the abuser. Why are people blaming the victim?
It’s about the decisions we make in life. And she decided to place her little kids in great jeapordy.
Thinking the kiddo’s would be better off without either of them in their lives from this point forward. Hoping both in this case will get fixed as not to bring anymore children into this world. It just isn’t fair to the kids and the rest of us who have to pay for them in so many ways.
THAT’S how I remember Reservoir Hill.
What a lowlife.
Mom sounds like a great Mom too…..geez.
Attempted murder. Period.
Tough guy, aint he!
Oh, look a target right behind his head.
WTF?? this guy basically tried to murder his girlfriend by shoving pills down here throat in hopes she’d OD!! he needs to be put in jail and throw away the key along with all the other losers!!! :)
In a case like this there should be no “Up to” 5 years. It should be simply 5 years in jail, no suspensions. He obviously isn’t intelligent enough to change and be a real man. Hope the woman and kids will be ok emotionally and not allow him to come back.
Agreed, I hate seeing that someone was sentanced to a certain time only too see that 3/4ths or more of their sentence was suspended… They should have to serve the entire 9 months, not 30 days of it. I pray that the mom recovers from her injuries, and that the kids are kept in a safe home.
so what they are saying is..the woman who arrived said Mike was not there when she arrived BUT ”
4-year-olds told relatives that Shain forced pills into the victim’s mouth while she was unconscious. The victim reportedly was choking on the medication as it was being placed in her mouth. ” who saw him forcing pills down her throat? …trash ..rumors…hear say.. come on BDN state facts. ps…a drug user is not going to waste his pills on an
unconscious person.. ps …go look at her facebook page…she did damage to her own mouth…it’s all over her fb wall. and maybe she’s the one who overdosed…all trash. why didn’t outstanding warrant dude call cops? ps all the mouthy I told ya so chicks on here and facebook posting crap about him…should really look back at what they wrote on Mike’s wall before all of this was reported…hmmmmmmm hypocrites …ok she’s conscience now…let’s hear what she has to say… can’t blame just Mike. As far as the 4 year olds go..they need to be raised by someone other than the mother. just my opinion..just speculating. always 3 sides of the story…his, hers and the truth.
agreed!!
sentenced only 9 months, served 30 days..what’s wrong with picture? What’s also wrong with these judges?
I would hope” she was expected to recover”, if they released her from the hospital. What a terrible individual this guy is. Give him more than 30 days this time, please.
What is wrong with a person that he could fail to call for medical attention for this woman? The same goes for the person who wanted to call for help but didn’t because of warrants. How about making an anonymous 911 call? Or better yet, clearing up the warrants so there was no need to fear calling the police for assistance?
what a shame for those children!!!i hope they get put with the right family member and not back with drug addicts!
wanna hear the truth for yourselves from the victim in this case? well your talking to her. this makes me sick that some of you would say im a drug addict, which im not, and that im an unfit mother which isnt true either. my girls are MY EVERYTHING, MY WORLD. that bastard tried to attack and drug and kill me in front of my children while i was obviously incoherent and unconcious after he had tried shoving pills down my throat. think about this. put yourselves in MY SHOES. tell me how youd feel, what would you do in a situation like that. i apparently tried to lock my children and myself in my room and he wanted me dead so he kicked my door in. i cant give you guys anything but the truth, of what i remember anyway which isnt hardly much but my family and friends know im not an unfit mother at all yes ive made mistakes being a parent but guess what…YOU have to who hasnt?! do not come down on me foe something that is NOT my or my childrens fault. im just happy my girls are ok and alive and that i am alive myself so i CAN take care of my girls. if you want to listen to the other garbage from other people or what you read in the paper which bdn is waay more accurate then houlton pioneer i will say…have right at er. but this is my story, coming from me. i hope the bastard gets attempted murder/homicide…a girl couldnt get that lucky after all hes put me through…one day….he will get what is coming to him karma is all i gotta say.