Stepfather Sentenced to 8 Years in Prison After 4-Year-Old Boy Fatally Shoots Himself With Unsecured Gun at Home

A family has been left grieving an unimaginable loss after a four-year-old boy died from a gunshot wound inside his own home. More than a year after the tragedy, the child’s stepfather has been sentenced to prison, bringing a painful criminal case to a turning point while raising difficult questions about firearm safety and whether the little boy could have been protected.

Robert McCoy, 37, of Lewiston, Maine, was sentenced on Friday, October 9, 2026, after pleading guilty to manslaughter in connection with the death of his stepson, Jasper Smith. The court sentenced McCoy to 17 years in prison, with nine years suspended. That means he will serve eight years behind bars, followed by six years of probation. He could be ordered to serve some or all of the suspended portion if he violates the conditions of his probation.

The tragedy happened on the morning of May 17, 2025, when McCoy was at the family’s apartment with Jasper and several other children. According to prosecutors, Jasper found a loaded handgun inside a zipped crossbody bag near a bassinet. The young boy took the weapon into his bedroom, where it discharged, fatally striking him. Authorities said the gun had not been secured in a way that prevented a child from accessing it.

McCoy and Jasper’s mother, Mikayla Smith, called 911 after the shooting. Emergency responders rushed the child to Central Maine Medical Center, but doctors were unable to save him. Jasper was pronounced dead at 7:08 a.m., leaving his family facing the sudden loss of a child who should have had years of growing, learning and playing ahead of him. An eight-year-old, a two-year-old and a six-month-old were also inside the home at the time.

The investigation led to McCoy’s arrest in June 2025. He later pleaded guilty to manslaughter and was sentenced in Androscoggin County Superior Court. As part of his sentence, he will also be prohibited from possessing firearms or ammunition and from having contact with children younger than six while on probation.

During the sentencing hearing, Jasper’s mother spoke about the trust she had placed in McCoy to keep her son safe. Her words reflected the devastating reality that the person responsible for protecting a young child can play a crucial role in preventing a tragedy. For Jasper’s loved ones, the prison sentence cannot undo the loss or fill the emptiness left behind.

McCoy also addressed the court, apologizing to Jasper’s family and acknowledging his failure to protect the child. “I am sorry. … I failed you all,” he said, according to PEOPLE. He described continuing to suffer nightmares and anxiety attacks over Jasper’s death, adding that he had deeply loved the boy. His attorney also told the court that McCoy remained devastated by what had happened.

The case has raised further concerns because family members reportedly told authorities that the Maine Department of Health and Human Services had received numerous calls about conditions in the home before Jasper’s death. According to reporting cited by PEOPLE, relatives said there had been 17 calls expressing concern and seven investigations into the household. Those claims have prompted questions about whether warning signs were adequately addressed, although the reported figures do not by themselves establish that officials could have prevented the tragedy.

Jasper’s death is a heartbreaking reminder of the dangers unsecured firearms pose to young children, who may not understand the risks of handling a weapon. Experts consistently urge gun owners to store firearms locked and unloaded, with ammunition secured separately and keys or combinations kept inaccessible to children. In a home where children are present, even a brief lapse in safe storage can have irreversible consequences.

For Jasper’s family, the sentencing marks the end of one stage of a painful legal process, but the grief will continue long after the courtroom proceedings. A four-year-old boy lost his life inside the place where he should have been safest. His story now stands as a solemn warning about the responsibility adults carry to protect children from dangers they are too young to recognize.

Sources: PEOPLE