Topline: Investigators said the 10-year-old weighed just 48 pounds when he was rushed to the hospital, where he later died.
Published: June 16, 2026 4:55 pm ET
Must Read
BANGOR, ME — Joshua Smith has pleaded guilty to murdering his 10-year-old son, Braxtyn Smith, bringing a major development in a case that prosecutors say involved prolonged abuse, neglect, and restraint before the boy’s death in 2024.
According to WMTW and News Center Maine, Smith, 35, entered the guilty plea Thursday in Penobscot County Superior Court after previously pleading not guilty. Just days earlier, he had sought to change his plea to not guilty by reason of insanity.
The judge questioned whether Smith had made the decision too quickly, noting that his position had changed within a day. Defense attorney Don Brown told the court that the issue had been discussed extensively throughout the case.
“We’ve had extensive discussions about all of Mr. Smith’s options for a long period of time, including jury trial, jury waived trial, what a plea of guilty would be, what an agreed plea of guilty based on any offer that might be made by the state, what a guilty plea of not guilty by reason of insanity would encompass, and how any and all of those things would affect court’s decision or the jury’s decision, and ultimately how those things will affect any sentencing that might occur,” Brown said.
According to court records cited by WMTW, Smith is expected to be sentenced in September.
The guilty plea comes more than two years after Braxtyn died on Feb. 18, 2024. Court documents reviewed by multiple Maine news outlets describe a series of allegations that investigators say revealed severe abuse inside the Bangor home where the child lived with his parents and grandmother.
According to affidavits previously obtained by WGME, Braxtyn weighed just 48 pounds when he was brought to a Bangor hospital. Court records stated he appeared malnourished, was covered in bruises and burns, and had injuries that medical personnel found concerning.
Authorities alleged that Braxtyn’s mother, Jem Bean, and father, Joshua Smith, regularly restrained him with zip ties. According to court documents cited by WGME, the parents told investigators their son was “defiant” and claimed they used restraints to control him, including while he slept or used the bathroom.
Investigators also uncovered text messages between the parents that were included in court filings.
“There some reason you couldn’t be bothered to zip tie everything your supposed to huh?” Joshua Smith allegedly wrote to Bean.
“What did I miss? I did his ankles to the tote and his hands together behind his back,” Bean allegedly replied, according to the documents.
Court records cited by WGME and WMTW state that Braxtyn was homeschooled by his grandmother, Mistie Latourette, who was also charged in connection with his death. According to those documents, Latourette told investigators that the boy was struck in the head as a form of discipline and that food was sometimes withheld as punishment.
An unnamed person who lived in the home reportedly told investigators that Braxtyn slept on a bathroom floor, ate dog food, and sometimes ate from a trash can. That witness also alleged that the child was tied up and hit in the head, according to court documents.
On the day of his death, Bean and Latourette brought Braxtyn to a Bangor hospital after he complained of feeling ill and vomited multiple times, according to court records. The documents state that the child had no pulse and was not breathing when he arrived. Although doctors were able to briefly resuscitate him, he died later that night.
According to WMTW and News Center Maine, hospital staff became alarmed by bruising across Braxtyn’s body. Bean reportedly told medical personnel that the injuries occurred because the boy would throw himself onto the ground during what she described as “temper tantrums.”
Court documents further state that a Bangor police detective viewed scans showing bleeding between Braxtyn’s brain and skull.
The Office of the Chief Medical Examiner ruled Braxtyn’s death a homicide. According to affidavits cited by WGME, the medical examiner found evidence of injuries consistent with battered child syndrome and evidence of sodomy.
The case prompted outrage from child advocates across Maine. Bill Diamond, a former state lawmaker and founder of Walk a Mile in Their Shoes, told WGME he was horrified by the allegations detailed in court filings.
“It’s the kind of thing you read about, and it just makes you sick,” Diamond said.
“The poor little boy didn’t have a chance,” he added. “He was underweight, obviously malnutrition was, played a role here.”
Diamond also said the case should serve as a warning about hidden abuse.
“As you and I are talking now, that’s going on some place else right in the state of Maine,” Diamond told WGME. “We just don’t know it yet because the kid hasn’t died.”
Braxtyn’s mother, Jem Bean, pleaded guilty to a reduced charge of manslaughter in February, according to WMTW and News Center Maine. His grandmother, Mistie Latourette, remains charged in the case, and her trial is expected to begin next week.
Presumption of Innocence: A presumption of innocence means that any defendant in a criminal trial is presumed to be innocent until they have been proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law. The defendant in this case is only accused of the charges set forth in the criminal complaint. They are innocent until proven guilty.
Editor Picks
Latest Articles
Father Pleads Guilty After Boy Was Allegedly Bound With Zip Ties, Starved and Forced to Eat Dog Food
Investigators said the 10-year-old weighed just 48 pounds when he was rushed to the hospital, where he later died.
By Jacob Charles
Published: June 16, 2026 4:55 pm ET
BANGOR, ME — Joshua Smith has pleaded guilty to murdering his 10-year-old son, Braxtyn Smith, bringing a major development in a case that prosecutors say involved prolonged abuse, neglect, and restraint before the boy’s death in 2024.
According to WMTW and News Center Maine, Smith, 35, entered the guilty plea Thursday in Penobscot County Superior Court after previously pleading not guilty. Just days earlier, he had sought to change his plea to not guilty by reason of insanity.
The judge questioned whether Smith had made the decision too quickly, noting that his position had changed within a day. Defense attorney Don Brown told the court that the issue had been discussed extensively throughout the case.
“We’ve had extensive discussions about all of Mr. Smith’s options for a long period of time, including jury trial, jury waived trial, what a plea of guilty would be, what an agreed plea of guilty based on any offer that might be made by the state, what a guilty plea of not guilty by reason of insanity would encompass, and how any and all of those things would affect court’s decision or the jury’s decision, and ultimately how those things will affect any sentencing that might occur,” Brown said.
According to court records cited by WMTW, Smith is expected to be sentenced in September.
The guilty plea comes more than two years after Braxtyn died on Feb. 18, 2024. Court documents reviewed by multiple Maine news outlets describe a series of allegations that investigators say revealed severe abuse inside the Bangor home where the child lived with his parents and grandmother.
According to affidavits previously obtained by WGME, Braxtyn weighed just 48 pounds when he was brought to a Bangor hospital. Court records stated he appeared malnourished, was covered in bruises and burns, and had injuries that medical personnel found concerning.
Authorities alleged that Braxtyn’s mother, Jem Bean, and father, Joshua Smith, regularly restrained him with zip ties. According to court documents cited by WGME, the parents told investigators their son was “defiant” and claimed they used restraints to control him, including while he slept or used the bathroom.
Investigators also uncovered text messages between the parents that were included in court filings.
“There some reason you couldn’t be bothered to zip tie everything your supposed to huh?” Joshua Smith allegedly wrote to Bean.
“What did I miss? I did his ankles to the tote and his hands together behind his back,” Bean allegedly replied, according to the documents.
Court records cited by WGME and WMTW state that Braxtyn was homeschooled by his grandmother, Mistie Latourette, who was also charged in connection with his death. According to those documents, Latourette told investigators that the boy was struck in the head as a form of discipline and that food was sometimes withheld as punishment.
An unnamed person who lived in the home reportedly told investigators that Braxtyn slept on a bathroom floor, ate dog food, and sometimes ate from a trash can. That witness also alleged that the child was tied up and hit in the head, according to court documents.
On the day of his death, Bean and Latourette brought Braxtyn to a Bangor hospital after he complained of feeling ill and vomited multiple times, according to court records. The documents state that the child had no pulse and was not breathing when he arrived. Although doctors were able to briefly resuscitate him, he died later that night.
According to WMTW and News Center Maine, hospital staff became alarmed by bruising across Braxtyn’s body. Bean reportedly told medical personnel that the injuries occurred because the boy would throw himself onto the ground during what she described as “temper tantrums.”
Court documents further state that a Bangor police detective viewed scans showing bleeding between Braxtyn’s brain and skull.
The Office of the Chief Medical Examiner ruled Braxtyn’s death a homicide. According to affidavits cited by WGME, the medical examiner found evidence of injuries consistent with battered child syndrome and evidence of sodomy.
The case prompted outrage from child advocates across Maine. Bill Diamond, a former state lawmaker and founder of Walk a Mile in Their Shoes, told WGME he was horrified by the allegations detailed in court filings.
“It’s the kind of thing you read about, and it just makes you sick,” Diamond said.
“The poor little boy didn’t have a chance,” he added. “He was underweight, obviously malnutrition was, played a role here.”
Diamond also said the case should serve as a warning about hidden abuse.
“As you and I are talking now, that’s going on some place else right in the state of Maine,” Diamond told WGME. “We just don’t know it yet because the kid hasn’t died.”
Braxtyn’s mother, Jem Bean, pleaded guilty to a reduced charge of manslaughter in February, according to WMTW and News Center Maine. His grandmother, Mistie Latourette, remains charged in the case, and her trial is expected to begin next week.
Presumption of Innocence: A presumption of innocence means that any defendant in a criminal trial is presumed to be innocent until they have been proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law. The defendant in this case is only accused of the charges set forth in the criminal complaint. They are innocent until proven guilty.
Editor's Note: ThePo makes every effort to accurately transcribe the contents of affidavits of probable cause contained in criminal complaints. Often, the complaints themselves are copies of copies of faxed copies, and are difficult to read. To confirm the accuracy of our transcription, contact the Magisterial District Court listed above and request a copy of the criminal complaint. It's a public record to which you are entitled.
Must Read
Editor Picks
Latest Articles
Father Pleads Guilty After Boy Was Allegedly Bound With Zip Ties, Starved and Forced to Eat Dog Food
Investigators said the 10-year-old weighed just 48 pounds when he was rushed to the hospital, where he later died.
By Jacob Charles
Published: June 16, 2026 4:55 pm ET
BANGOR, ME — Joshua Smith has pleaded guilty to murdering his 10-year-old son, Braxtyn Smith, bringing a major development in a case that prosecutors say involved prolonged abuse, neglect, and restraint before the boy’s death in 2024.
According to WMTW and News Center Maine, Smith, 35, entered the guilty plea Thursday in Penobscot County Superior Court after previously pleading not guilty. Just days earlier, he had sought to change his plea to not guilty by reason of insanity.
The judge questioned whether Smith had made the decision too quickly, noting that his position had changed within a day. Defense attorney Don Brown told the court that the issue had been discussed extensively throughout the case.
“We’ve had extensive discussions about all of Mr. Smith’s options for a long period of time, including jury trial, jury waived trial, what a plea of guilty would be, what an agreed plea of guilty based on any offer that might be made by the state, what a guilty plea of not guilty by reason of insanity would encompass, and how any and all of those things would affect court’s decision or the jury’s decision, and ultimately how those things will affect any sentencing that might occur,” Brown said.
According to court records cited by WMTW, Smith is expected to be sentenced in September.
The guilty plea comes more than two years after Braxtyn died on Feb. 18, 2024. Court documents reviewed by multiple Maine news outlets describe a series of allegations that investigators say revealed severe abuse inside the Bangor home where the child lived with his parents and grandmother.
According to affidavits previously obtained by WGME, Braxtyn weighed just 48 pounds when he was brought to a Bangor hospital. Court records stated he appeared malnourished, was covered in bruises and burns, and had injuries that medical personnel found concerning.
Authorities alleged that Braxtyn’s mother, Jem Bean, and father, Joshua Smith, regularly restrained him with zip ties. According to court documents cited by WGME, the parents told investigators their son was “defiant” and claimed they used restraints to control him, including while he slept or used the bathroom.
Investigators also uncovered text messages between the parents that were included in court filings.
“There some reason you couldn’t be bothered to zip tie everything your supposed to huh?” Joshua Smith allegedly wrote to Bean.
“What did I miss? I did his ankles to the tote and his hands together behind his back,” Bean allegedly replied, according to the documents.
Court records cited by WGME and WMTW state that Braxtyn was homeschooled by his grandmother, Mistie Latourette, who was also charged in connection with his death. According to those documents, Latourette told investigators that the boy was struck in the head as a form of discipline and that food was sometimes withheld as punishment.
An unnamed person who lived in the home reportedly told investigators that Braxtyn slept on a bathroom floor, ate dog food, and sometimes ate from a trash can. That witness also alleged that the child was tied up and hit in the head, according to court documents.
On the day of his death, Bean and Latourette brought Braxtyn to a Bangor hospital after he complained of feeling ill and vomited multiple times, according to court records. The documents state that the child had no pulse and was not breathing when he arrived. Although doctors were able to briefly resuscitate him, he died later that night.
According to WMTW and News Center Maine, hospital staff became alarmed by bruising across Braxtyn’s body. Bean reportedly told medical personnel that the injuries occurred because the boy would throw himself onto the ground during what she described as “temper tantrums.”
Court documents further state that a Bangor police detective viewed scans showing bleeding between Braxtyn’s brain and skull.
The Office of the Chief Medical Examiner ruled Braxtyn’s death a homicide. According to affidavits cited by WGME, the medical examiner found evidence of injuries consistent with battered child syndrome and evidence of sodomy.
The case prompted outrage from child advocates across Maine. Bill Diamond, a former state lawmaker and founder of Walk a Mile in Their Shoes, told WGME he was horrified by the allegations detailed in court filings.
“It’s the kind of thing you read about, and it just makes you sick,” Diamond said.
“The poor little boy didn’t have a chance,” he added. “He was underweight, obviously malnutrition was, played a role here.”
Diamond also said the case should serve as a warning about hidden abuse.
“As you and I are talking now, that’s going on some place else right in the state of Maine,” Diamond told WGME. “We just don’t know it yet because the kid hasn’t died.”
Braxtyn’s mother, Jem Bean, pleaded guilty to a reduced charge of manslaughter in February, according to WMTW and News Center Maine. His grandmother, Mistie Latourette, remains charged in the case, and her trial is expected to begin next week.
Presumption of Innocence: A presumption of innocence means that any defendant in a criminal trial is presumed to be innocent until they have been proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law. The defendant in this case is only accused of the charges set forth in the criminal complaint. They are innocent until proven guilty.
Editor's Note: ThePo makes every effort to accurately transcribe the contents of affidavits of probable cause contained in criminal complaints. Often, the complaints themselves are copies of copies of faxed copies, and are difficult to read. To confirm the accuracy of our transcription, contact the Magisterial District Court listed above and request a copy of the criminal complaint. It's a public record to which you are entitled.
Must Read
