A Maine man has been sentenced to eight years in prison after his 4-year-old stepson found a loaded handgun inside their family home and accidentally shot himself, a tragedy that has raised troubling questions about earlier warnings to child protective services.
Robert McCoy, 37, was sentenced Friday, October 9, in Androscoggin County Superior Court after pleading guilty to manslaughter in the death of Jasper Smith, who was killed in May 2025 at the family’s apartment in Lewiston.
The sentencing brought a measure of accountability to a case that has devastated Jasper’s relatives, particularly after family members revealed they had repeatedly contacted state authorities with concerns about conditions inside the home before the little boy’s death.
According to prosecutors, McCoy was caring for Jasper and three other children on the morning of May 17, 2025, when the 4-year-old discovered a loaded 9mm handgun inside a zipped crossbody bag near a bassinet.
The weapon belonged to McCoy and had not been secured in a locked container, allowing Jasper to remove it from the bag and carry it into his bedroom.
Moments later, the little boy accidentally discharged the gun, suffering a fatal injury to his head.
McCoy and Jasper’s mother, Mikayla Smith, called 911 as the family desperately sought help. Lewiston police received the emergency call around 4:55 a.m., and officers, firefighters and paramedics rushed to the apartment on Pierce Street.
Jasper was transported to Central Maine Medical Center, where doctors attempted to save his life. Tragically, he was pronounced dead at 7:08 a.m., just over two hours after the initial emergency call.
Three other children, ages 8, 2 and 6 months, were also inside the apartment when the shooting occurred.
As investigators examined how Jasper had obtained the weapon, relatives began speaking publicly about concerns they had raised regarding the family’s living conditions.
According to family members, the Maine Department of Health and Human Services had received approximately 17 reports expressing concerns about the household before Jasper’s death.
Those complaints allegedly resulted in seven child welfare investigations, none of which led to the children being removed from the home before the shooting.
Jasper’s aunt, Laura Smith, previously told Maine Public that she and other relatives had contacted child protective services because they were concerned about the children’s well-being.
She said the tragedy strengthened her determination to push for changes within Maine’s child welfare system, explaining that she wanted other vulnerable children to receive the protection they deserved.
State officials have not publicly confirmed every detail of the family’s account, citing confidentiality restrictions surrounding child welfare cases. The reported investigations also involved broader concerns about the household, and officials have not established whether authorities had previously been warned about the unsecured handgun.
Nevertheless, the allegations have added another painful dimension to Jasper’s death, leaving relatives questioning whether additional intervention could have made a difference.
McCoy was arrested on June 18, 2025, following an investigation by Lewiston police and the Maine State Police Major Crimes Unit. He was charged with manslaughter and endangering the welfare of a child.
Jasper’s mother was also arrested that day on unrelated warrants, but authorities emphasized that her arrest was not connected to the shooting. She was not charged in connection with her son’s death.
McCoy initially pleaded not guilty before changing his plea on August 3, 2026, accepting responsibility for the fatal incident.
During Friday’s sentencing hearing, Jasper’s mother spoke emotionally about losing her son and the trust she had placed in McCoy to keep him safe.
McCoy also addressed the courtroom, apologizing to Jasper’s family and acknowledging that his actions had contributed to the little boy’s death.
“He was a child,” McCoy told the court, according to the Sun Journal.
The 37-year-old said he continued to struggle with nightmares and anxiety attacks over what happened, describing the tragedy as something that would haunt him for the rest of his life.
“I failed you all,” he admitted, adding that he had loved Jasper as deeply as his own children.
His attorney, Justin Leary, described McCoy as emotionally devastated and said the child’s death continued to weigh heavily on him.
Despite those expressions of remorse, the judge emphasized the seriousness of leaving a loaded firearm accessible to a young child.
McCoy received a 17-year prison sentence, with nine years suspended, meaning he must serve eight years behind bars. After his release, he will remain on probation for six years.
The court also imposed strict restrictions prohibiting him from possessing firearms or ammunition and from having contact with children younger than 6 while on probation.
If McCoy violates those conditions, he could be ordered to serve some or all of the nine suspended years.
The case comes amid continued concerns about children gaining access to unsecured firearms. Maine strengthened its child endangerment law in 2021 to address situations in which adults leave guns accessible to minors, recognizing the serious danger posed when children encounter weapons they are too young to understand.
Firearm safety organizations recommend storing guns unloaded in locked safes or secure containers, with ammunition locked separately. Simply placing a weapon inside a bag, drawer or closet does not prevent a curious child from finding it.
For Jasper’s family, the sentencing marks the conclusion of a lengthy criminal case, but it does little to ease the loss of a little boy who had barely begun his life.
In the days following his death, relatives, friends and neighbors gathered near the family’s apartment, leaving flowers, stuffed animals and candles in his memory.
