BANGOR, Maine — A 10-year-old boy spent the last two years of his life being starved, beaten, and tied to a chair by the people who were supposed to love him.
Braxtyn Smith died on February 18, 2024, after his mother and grandmother rushed him to the hospital. He had bruises across his body and was vomiting when he arrived. Hospital staff said it looked and smelled like pet food.
A medical examiner ruled his death a homicide.
What Investigators Uncovered
Braxtyn weighed just 48 pounds at the time of his death — seven pounds below the lowest healthy percentile for a boy his age.
Court documents showed his parents withheld food as punishment and forced him to eat dog food. Text messages revealed his father, Joshua Smith, 35, not only beat his son — he seemed to enjoy it.
“Little one is super tired and I’m going to slap him already so it should be fun,” Smith texted Braxtyn’s grandmother.
Other messages showed Smith and Braxtyn’s mother, Jem Bean, 37, discussing how to restrain their son with zip ties.
Smith later claimed the disturbing texts were “sarcasm.”
All Three Family Members Pleaded Guilty
Smith pleaded guilty to murder. Bean pleaded guilty to manslaughter earlier this year. Grandmother Mistie Latourette, 63, also pleaded guilty to manslaughter.
State officials said the abuse went undetected because Braxtyn was homeschooled.
Prosecutors are recommending Bean serve 25 years in prison. Smith will be sentenced in September.
Braxtyn was 10 years old. He never got the chance to speak for himself — now a courtroom will have to speak for him.
What do you think about this case and how it was allowed to go on for so long? Share your thoughts in the comments.
