UPDATE: A Utah father, Micah Smith, has been arrested on charges of aggravated child abuse and child torture after a harrowing mountain hike left his three young children in critical condition. The shocking incident unfolded on October 11 in Big Cottonwood Canyon, where Smith allegedly forced his 2, 4, and 8-year-old children on a dangerous trek that turned into a desperate fight for survival.
The family was reported missing when they failed to return from what started as a family outing. Search and rescue teams located them approximately 600 feet from the summit, where the children were found sheltered in a makeshift structure made of boulders and sticks. According to court documents obtained by Fox 13, Smith’s youngest child had suffered a head injury and appeared dazed.
Rescue workers discovered the 4-year-old lying on top of his unconscious 2-year-old brother, who was not breathing. Smith claimed he performed CPR on his children after they lost consciousness. Authorities reported that the young kids were inadequately dressed for the weather, wearing minimal clothing in harsh conditions.
The indictment indicates that Smith ignored his daughter’s plea to turn back, insisting, “This is a once-in-a-lifetime thing.” The child’s haunting question captured on video—”Are we going to freeze to death, daddy?”—highlights the terrifying ordeal they faced.
In text messages to his wife, Smith expressed concern about the children’s condition, noting that everyone was “starting to fail” and it was raining.
Emergency personnel rushed the family down the mountain, with CPR administered to the 4-year-old for 25 minutes. They were subsequently hospitalized, with Smith reported in mild condition while both younger children remain in critical condition. The 4-year-old is still hospitalized after suffering a stroke that necessitated surgery.
This incident is not Smith’s first brush with the law. Just a month prior, he was found wandering a mountain with two guns and an axe, expressing suicidal thoughts. He had told officers he was “going through a really hard time.”
Smith was booked into jail in Salt Lake County on November 25. In a troubling follow-up, he was recently accused of trespassing at Primary Children’s Hospital, where he attempted to interfere with his son’s care.
As authorities continue to investigate this alarming case, the community is left grappling with the implications of such reckless behavior. This raises urgent questions about child safety and parental responsibility in extreme situations. Stay tuned for further updates as this developing story unfolds.
