Sullivan County’s Acting District Attorney Brian Conaty alleged the county attorney's office failed to act preceding the death of 16-month-old Akasha Luvert.

“I learned that CPS had requested the removal of these children on three separate occasions," Conaty said. "When CPS brought these concerns to their legal branch, the county attorney's office, the county attorney himself, Mike McGuire, refused to institute removal proceedings.”

McGuire said this isn’t true, and Conaty either lacks an understanding of the law or is playing politics. Conaty is set to face a challenge for the district attorney spot from Deputy County Attorney Thomas Cawley, who works with McGuire.

What You Need To Know

  • Sullivan County Acting DA Brian Conaty accused County Attorney Michael McGuire last week of failing to act diligently and with "empathy" leading up to the death of 16-month-old Akasha Luvert

  • McGuire fired back Wednesday, saying Conaty's statements were untrue and demonstrate "a level of poise and demeanor incongruent with one who seeks to hold the office of district attorney"

  • In speaking with Spectrum News 1, Conaty said he stands by his statements

“Mr. Conaty’s comments were callous, misleading and demonstrate a level of poise and demeanor incongruent with one who seeks to hold the office of district attorney," McGuire said.

Last week, Conaty and village of Liberty police announced Luvert’s parents, Jimmie Luvert and Lisa Keitt, had been charged with criminally negligent homicide. They allege Luvert and Keitt were using fentanyl at the Knights Inn Hotel in Liberty, and left it within reach of Akasha, and that the girl ingested it, leading to her death.

While speaking to Spectrum News 1, Conaty insisted that his statements were not political.

“This is myself keeping the pledge that I made the constituents of Sullivan County when I was first sworn in, that I'll follow the facts where they lead and this is where we ended up," he said.

McGuire says more cooperation is needed between CPS, the district attorney and the county attorney’s office to continue to keep Sullivan County’s children safe.

“I've assembled the finest legal team in the state of New York to attack these cases in Child Protective Services, and Liberty has, likewise, assembled a very competent group of investigators," McGuire said. "When reports come in, they are investigated and they are investigated aggressively. And when they're presented to my office, they are prosecuted and prosecuted aggressively.”

Conaty was made acting DA for Sullivan County in January, after former DA Meagan Galligan won election to the state Supreme Court.