Airbnb Hosts Charged with Murder After Guests Dies in Fire

A Westchester County, New York, couple has been charged with manslaughter after a fire broke out in their Airbnb home, killing a school teacher and her 1-year-old daughter, writes New York Post.

Photo: Steve Jolicoeur | Dreamstime.com

Dennis Darcy, 57, and his wife, Meredith, 55, were charged this week after investigators found the couple lied about having smoke detectors in their Dutchess County, New York, home, which caught fire on Oct. 14, 2024, due to a chimney problem, killing Cape Cod teacher Shannon Hubbard and her young daughter.

Hubbard's husband, John, managed to escape the fire along with their 3-year-old child, state police said.

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“This terrible tragedy could have been avoided,” said Dutchess County District Attorney Anthony Parisi. “The deaths of Shannon Hubbard and her young daughter in this senseless fire serve as a tragic reminder of the critical role of smoke detectors. Their absence was more than a failure to follow necessary safety precautions. The defendants knew the risk and willfully ignored it.”

The Hubbards came to Clinton, a town in Dutchess County, N.Y., from Brewster, Massachusetts, and rented Darcy's house without knowing the building did not meet fire and building codes, state police said.

An investigation into the fire found that the house did not have the required special permit for short-term rentals.

The Hubbards were on their deck on Oct. 14, 2024, when they noticed smoke. They ran inside to save their two young children, but found themselves trapped, WRGB reports.

The East Clinton Fire Department responded to a report of a "house on fire with victims" and found a family inside the burning building. Firefighters pulled the family out of the flames.

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However, Shannon Hubbard and one of her daughters were later pronounced dead at a local hospital.

Dutchess County Judge Michael Hayes set bail for Dennis and Meredith Darcy at $50 cash or up to $000 surety.

Both defendants posted bail and were released pending a hearing scheduled for April 7.

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