READSBORO, VT – A Vermont man pleaded guilty on Monday to three crimes, including manslaughter, after his 2-year-old son drowned in a swiftly moving stream last April in Massachusetts. The father allegedly ran from a car accident scene, causing his son’s tragic death.
Darel Galorenzo from Readsboro, Vermont, received a prison sentence of nine to 15 years based on the manslaughter conviction, significantly exceeding the state’s typical three-year sentencing guideline.
Galorenzo has also been imprisoned for 2 1/2 years on two concurrent charges for driving under the influence of alcohol and endangering a child while intoxicated.
In his statement, District Attorney Timothy Shugrue avoided sharing the traumatic particulars of the events that led to the infant’s death. The child initially survived a car crash orchestrated by his father, only to fall victim to the cold, ice-melt-rushed river later that night. Shugrue referred to the case as “one of the most tragic” he’s encountered in his 40-year law career.
State troopers responded to single-vehicle rollover reports in the town of Clarksburg, Massachusetts, around 2 a.m. on April 8, 2023. Preliminary investigations suggest the 2-year-old died after falling into a brook while his father attempted to escape the crash on foot.
The toddler was extracted from Hudson Brook and rushed to Berkshire Medical Center. After he arrived, he was pronounced dead. The autopsy indicated drowning and hypothermia as the cause of death.
Responding officers found Galorenzo near the stream, soaking wet and apparently inebriated. The police report suggests Galorenzo likely fell and lost hold of his son while attempting to navigate the icy, high-velocity stream.
Galorenzo, who sustained minor injuries, claimed the car accident resulted from slippery road conditions. He stated they were out driving because his son was unsettled and coughing. Galorenzo added that the child sprinted away from him and into the stream.
After the hearing, DA Shugrue shared his deepest condolences with the child’s mother, despite understanding that words likely provided little solace in the face of her devastating loss.