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New Hampshire
Defense seeks to undermine accuser's credibility in New Hampshire youth center sex abuse case
CONCORD, N.H. (AP) — Lawyers for a man charged with raping a teenage girl at a youth holding facility in New Hampshire tried to erode the accuser’s credibility at trial Wednesday, suggesting she had a history of lying and changing her story.
Now 39, Natasha Maunsell was 15 and 16 when she was held at the Youth Detention Services Unit in Concord. Lawyers for Victor Malavet, 62, who faces 12 counts of aggravated felonious sexual assault, say she concocted the allegations in hopes of getting money from a civil lawsuit.
Testifying for a second day at Malavet’s trial, Maunsell acknowledged that she denied having been sexually assaulted when asked in 2002, 2017 and 2019. She said she lied the first time because she was still at the facility and feared retaliation, and again in the later years because she didn’t think anyone would believe her.
“It had been so long that I didn’t think anybody would even care,” she said. “I didn’t think it would matter to anyone … so I kept it in for a long time.”
The Associated Press does not typically identify people who say they were sexually assaulted unless they have come forward publicly, as Maunsell has done. She is among more than 1,100 former residents of youth facilities who are suing the state alleging abuse that spanned six decades.
Malavet’s trial opened Monday. It is the first criminal trial arising from a five-year investigation into allegations of abuse at the Sununu Youth Services Center in Manchester, though unlike the other eight men facing charges, Malavet worked at a different state-run facility where children were held while awaiting court disposition of their cases.
Under questioning from defense lawyer Maya Dominguez, Maunsell acknowledged Wednesday that she lied at age 15 when she told a counselor she had a baby, and that in contrast to her trial testimony, she did not tell police in 2020 that Malavet had kissed her or that he had assaulted her in a storage closet. But she denied the lawyer’s claim that she appeared “angry or exasperated” when questioned about Malavet in 2002.
“I appeared scared,” she said after being shown a video clip from the interview. “I know me, and I looked at me, and I was scared.”
Maunsell also rebutted two attempts to portray her as a liar about money she received in advance of a possible settlement in her civil case. After Dominguez claimed she spent $65,000 on a Mustang, Maunsell said “mustang” was the name of another loan company. And when Dominguez showed her a traffic incident report listing her car as a 2021 Audi and not the 2012 Audi she testified about, Maunsell said the report referred to a newer rental car she was given after she crashed the older car.
In the only civil case to go to trial so far, a jury awarded David Meehan $38 million in May for abuse he says he suffered at the Youth Development Center in the 1990s, though the verdict remains in dispute.
Together, the two trials highlight the unusual dynamic of having the state attorney general’s office simultaneously prosecute those accused of committing offenses and defend the state. While attorneys for the state spent much of Meehan’s trial portraying him as a violent child, troublemaking teenager and a delusional adult, state prosecutors are relying on Mansell’s testimony in the criminal case.
MANCHESTER, NH – A five-run second inning and an eight-run eighth powered the New Hampshire Fisher Cats (27-23) to a Wednesday night win against the Altoona Curve (23-30) at Delta Dental Stadium, 14-3. In the eighth Inning, third baseman Sean Keys, second baseman Cutter Coffey, and catcher Patrick Winkel all
New England Travel
These hikes are full of history, wildlife, and gorgeous views.
Hiking trails are full of history, beauty, and wildlife, but with so many options, it can be hard to choose your next path.
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Car camping is trending this season, according to Hipcamp
The following are 12 great hikes recommended by the Massachusetts Department of Conservation & Recreation (DCR), Mass Audubon North Shore, Berkshire Natural Resources Council (BNRC), and the Appalachian Mountain Club.
Massachusetts
Skyline Loop Trail in Blue Hills Reservation in Milton
The 2.64-mile Skyline Loop Trail in the Blue Hills Reservation in Milton gives hikers a taste of the longer, nine-mile Skyline Trail. The loop takes hikers over five hills, including Hancock Hill, which was once the farm of John Hancock of Declaration of Independence fame and the first independent governor of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts.
There is a tower built by the Civilian Corp of Engineers during the Great Depression, and hikers can look out over Boston and the Harbor Islands
Cedar Swamp Trail in Douglas State Forest in Douglas
As hikers experience the Cedar Swamp Trail, a .5-mile hike, the environment changes from a typical New England mixed hardwood forest into a cedar swamp as Atlantic white cedar and hemlock trees replace oak, maple, birch, beech, and ash.
“The thick growth of these evergreens allows little light to reach the forest floor,” according to DCR. “Keep an eye out for the unique foliage native to the swamp like sphagnum or ‘peat’ moss, skunk cabbage and cinnamon ferns, as well as the wildlife that calls the swamp home.”
Robert Frost Trail in Mount Holyoke Range State Park in Amherst
Fans of Robert Frost can experience nature through the writer’s eyes on this 4-mile hike on the Robert Frost Trail that honors the iconic poet’s Massachusetts connection. Frost spent part of his life in Massachusetts, teaching English at nearby Amherst College.
Hikers can look for a hidden pool and a fork in the road while exploring the interpretive trail, DCR noted, which is an easy to moderate hike.
Read more about these state park hikes: 3 beautiful hikes at Massachusetts State Parks
Rockery Trail at Ipswich River Wildlife Sanctuary in Topsfield
For a unique, family-friendly hike involving rocks, head to the Rockery Trail at Ispwich River Wildlife Sanctuary, according to the Mass Audubon North Shore.
The 1/2-mile trail, the most popular hike at the sanctuary, includes boardwalks and features a rockery built by Thomas Emerson Proctor in 1905. You can climb the large stone structure and also walk through the little tunnel underneath. The wide easy trail is great for all ages.
Professor Chandler’s Long Walk at Rough Meadows Wildlife Sanctuary in Rowley
Hikers enjoy panoramic views at Rough Meadows Wildlife Sanctuary, which includes the scenic Professor Chandler’s Long Walk. The .65-mile easy trail takes hikers out into the Great Marsh, the largest salt marsh in New England, and is great for bird watchers.
The trail is named after Professor Alfred D. Chandler, Jr., who donated much of the land.
Woodland Loop at Cedar Pond Wildlife Sanctuary in Wenham
The Woodland Loop trail is a universally accessible trail at Cedar Pond Wildlife Sanctuary. The .9-mile trail offers a loop through deciduous and pine forest and opens up to a small meadow at the midpoint.
These All Persons Trails are ADA compliant and include universally accessible interpretive features. Visitors can expect handrails, braille and tactile features, wildlife viewing boardwalks and platforms, audio tour stops, seating, and more, according to Mass Audubon.
Read more about these North Shore trails: 3 beautiful hikes on the North Shore
The Meadow Loop Trail in Great Barrington
Animals lovers will love the accessible half-mile Meadow Loop Trail in the 267-acre Thomas & Palmer Brook Reserve, according to the Berkshire Natural Resources Council. The path, conveniently close to downtown Great Barrington, has excellent wetland and meadow views with benches for resting and taking in the scenery. The trail is also great for beaver watching.
For those who want to keep hiking, the trail connects to the 0.6-mile Woodland Trail and 0.3-mile Whale Rock Trail, both moderate.
Mahanna Cobble Trail in Pittsfield
Those looking for a challenge can tackle the 2.8-mile roundtrip trek on the Mahanna Cobble Trail.
The trail starts at Bosquet Mountain ski area, where hikers climb a beginner-level ski slope before getting into the forest. Hikers are rewarded with views of Kennedy Park, Mass Audobon’s Pleasant Valley Wildlife Sanctuary, and Yukon Ridge.
Sunset Rock Trail in North Adams
Hikers who tackle the easy 1.6-mile roundtrip Sunset Rock Trail at Hoosic Range Reserve later in the day can take in the Taconic Ridge and Green Mountains and it’s a great place to view the sunset.
For hikers seeking even more great views in the 944-acre reserve, continue on for 3 miles along the Hoosic Range Trail. This trail is considered difficult because of its length, and the 6-mile roundtrip hike is a gradual climb.
Read more about these Berkshires hikes: 3 beautiful hikes in the Berkshires
New Hampshire
Arethusa Falls Trail in Hart’s Location
Hikers on the Arethusa Falls Trail in Crawford Notch State Park are in a for a real treat, according to the Appalachian Mountain Club: New Hampshire’s highest waterfall. It’s a 1.3-mile moderate hike to the near 200-foot waterfall. Once at the waterfall, folks can hike down to the bottom and sit and dip their feet in the water.
The falls were discovered by Edward Tuckerman in 1875, according to visitwhitemountains.com, who named it after a nymph in Greek mythology that turned into a fountain.
Zealand Trail in Bethlehem
Zealand Trail connects to the Appalachian Trail, and hikers get to experience a short section of it before it goes out to Zealand falls. It’s about 2 1/2 miles to the falls.
The Appalachian Trail, which stretches from Maine to Georgia, is the longest hiking-only footpath in the world, and the New Hampshire portion offers more miles above the treeline than any other state on the trail, according to the Appalachian Trail Conservancy.
There is also an AMC Zealand Falls Hut on the trail, where hikers can stay overnight with a reservation.
Mount Willard Trail in Hart’s Location
Mount Willard’s elevation is 2,865 feet, and the summit is located in Crawford Notch State Park. It is a 1.6-mile moderate hike up to the summit, and hikers follow an old carriage road.
Folks start out at the top of Crawford Notch and hike along forests and along a stream, and there’s a tiny waterfall and an area called the Centennial Pool. Hikers can see the southern end of the Presidential Range, Crawford Notch, Mount Tom, and Mount Willey.
Read more about these hikes in the White Mountains: 3 beautiful hikes in the White Mountains
✨ The Dip is coming back to the park!
They had you dancing last time, and they’re back to do it again. Seattle’s seven-piece soul and R&B powerhouse The Dip brings a three-piece horn section, deep grooves, and a #1 Billboard R&B album’s worth of heat to the Wilcox Main Stage. This is the kind of band that makes you want to stay out way past your bedtime.
THE DIP in The River House Concert Series on the Wilcox Main Stage
📍 Prescott Park Arts Festival, Portsmouth NH
📅 Wednesday, July 1 at 7PM
🫶 Recommended Donation
No reservations required to attend, but grab one and have your spot waiting for you!
Prescott Park Arts Festival
07:00 PM – 11:59 PM on Wed, 1 Jul 2026
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