Maine
Advocates question child services involvement with family after death of Maine 4-year-old
A month after a 4-year-old boy died from a gunshot wound in Maine, his stepfather has been charged with manslaughter.
Police responded to the shooting on Pierce Street in Lewiston shortly before 5 a.m. on May 17. Jasper Smith was transported to Central Main Medical Center, where he was pronounced dead.
Maine State Police said his stepfather, 35-year-old Robert McCoy, was arrested Wednesday on charges of manslaughter and endangering the welfare of a child.
The boy’s mother, 27-year-old Mikayla Smith, was also arrested on unrelated warrants, but police did not name any charges against her.
In the wake of the shooting, child welfare advocates have pushed for more details on the state’s involvement with the family, NBC affiliate NEWS CENTER Maine reported.
Investigators previously said they located a single 9mm handgun at the apartment, registered to Jasper’s stepfather.
“The more I learned about the story, the more it becomes concerning to me about what happened, ” state Sen. Jeff Timberlake told NEWS CENTER Maine. “We know of approximately 17 times DHHS was called, and all of those, we know DHHS made at least seven visits.”
Jasper lived in the Pierce Street apartment with his mother, stepfather, and three siblings, aged 7 months, 2 years and 8 years. His aunt, Laura Smith, said his siblings have been removed from the home.
Police said Wednesday that McCoy and Smith had both been taken to the Androscoggin County Jail. It was not immediately clear if they had attorneys.
WISCASSET, Maine (WMTW) – A Maine man has been arrested after police say he intentionally set a bed on fire after a dispute with his girlfriend, while they were still in it.
Police responded Monday, March 9, to a report of a fire that had been intentionally set inside a home on Beechnut Hill Road, according to the Wiscasset Police Department.
Investigators say the homeowner, Terry Couture, 41, set the bed on fire following an argument while both he and his girlfriend were in it. Authorities said the fire was extinguished and no serious injuries were reported.
Couture was arrested and charged with attempted murder, arson, aggravated criminal mischief, and domestic violence criminal threatening with a dangerous weapon.
The investigation is ongoing.
Copyright 2026 WABI. All rights reserved.
CLIFTON, Maine (WABI) – Maine Maple Sunday is less than two weeks away, and the Williams Family Farm in Clifton is gearing up for one of the sweetest seasons yet.
A long stretch of frost and snow meant a late start this year, but the first boil of sap has finally run through the evaporator, and maple season is officially underway.
At Williams Family Farm, everything is done by hand:
- Fresh maple syrup, bottled on-site
- Maple sugar, carefully extracted in small batches
- Baked candied pecans, cashews, and more
The Williams family has spent years working with whatever weather sends their way.
Long winters, surprise warmups, and everything in between—they’ve learned how to adapt so community members can enjoy their products.
As co-owner John Williams explains, the key is in the temperature.
“You need to have it warm during the day and still freezing at night, so typically that’s the middle of February,” said Williams. “We have a lot of trees, so we have to start tapping them before the conditions are ideal, so we start tapping way before it’s time for it to run just so we can get them all tapped. If you have ten trees in your backyard, you want to wait until roughly now, the middle of February to now, and when it’s actually running and put them in then because you can put all your taps in, in one day.”
They’re excited to welcome the community during Maine Maple Weekend on March 21 and 22.
They will be boiling up sap, hosting demonstrations, and providing free samples.
Locals can also join them for their third annual pancake breakfast where all proceeds are donated to Holbrook Recreation.
Follow the link to find out their hours for March and more.
Copyright 2026 WABI. All rights reserved.
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