In 2019, Kenneth Morang, a corrections officer, was driving home after working a 16-hour shift at the Cumberland County Jail.

Morang hit a vehicle with six family members on their way home from Westbrook. All six people were taken to the hospital with serious injuries. A nine year old girl, Raelynn Bell of Cumberland, later died from a traumatic brain injury she suffered in the crash.

Gorham Detective Sergeant Daniel Young was off duty when he received word of the accident and was told he needed to go to Maine Medical Center to talk to the drivers. Young went to the hospital in plain clothes, driving an unmarked police vehicle and without picking up a recording device.

Morang told Young he had “nodded off” a couple of times, describing stretches of back to back shifts at the jail and reporting that he worked almost 100 hours some weeks.

At the hearing, Morang’s attorney, Amy Fairfield, said Young had violated Gorham Police Department’s policy by not recording the first interview. She asked the court not to allow evidence from Young.

Young acknowledged that he had a work-issued iPhone with which he could have recorded Morang’s statement at their first meeting.

Young testified that he went to the hospital to learn the identity of the drivers and to obtain information on the accident. He also testified that he spoke to Morang alone for about 15-20 minutes and reminded Morang that he was speaking voluntarily and could ask the detective to leave at any time.

In a second recorded interview, Morang answered Young’s questions with qualifying statements.

Morang’s family also told the court that Morang spoke to Young after the detective promised he would not be charged in the incident. Both of Morang’s daughters testified that Young had said “There will be no charges; This was an accident”. Young denied having made any such statement.

If convicted, Morang faces up to 30 years in prison.