The father of a 4-year-old boy who died after being shot in the head on May 17 was arrested on Wednesday morning and has been accused of manslaughter and child endangerment.
The child, identified as Jasper Smith, was transported from a Pierce Street residence in Lewiston to Central Maine Medical Center after being found by first responders at around 4:55 a.m. with a gunshot wound to his head. He was pronounced dead at 7:08 a.m., and his body was transported to the Maine medical examiner’s office to conduct an autopsy, Maine Department of Public Safety spokesperson Shannon Moss said.
Robert McCoy, 35, was arrested at around 10:25 a.m. on Wednesday morning, according to Moss. He has been charged with manslaughter and endangering the welfare of a child. Mikayla Smith, 27, who has been identified as the child’s mother, was also arrested on Wednesday. Her charges are not connected with Jasper Smith’s death, according to officials.
According to Maine State Police Lt. Aaron Turcotte, a single 9mm handgun was found at the 93 Pierce St. apartment during an initial investigation into the child’s death. The gun was registered to McCoy.
Both McCoy and Smith were transported to the Androscoggin County Jail.
Details on whether Smith or McCoy lived at the Lewiston apartment at the time of the child’s death, or how Jasper Smith was fatally shot, were not available Wednesday afternoon. The investigation remains ongoing.
