AUBURN, Maine — The stepfather of a 4-year-old who died from a self-inflicted gunshot wound last year pleaded guilty Monday in Androscoggin County Superior Court to charges of manslaughter and endangering the welfare of a child.
Robert McCoy, 36, entered his guilty plea Monday morning after pleading not guilty in September 2025. McCoy will face sentencing at a later date, according to court officials.
Police responded to a Pierce Street apartment in Lewiston before 5 p.m. on May 17, 2025, after receiving reports that a child had been shot. First responders transported 4-year-old Jasper Smith to Central Maine Medical Center, where he died.
McCoy was arrested in June 2025 after a police investigation concluded Jasper had found McCoy’s unsecured 9 mm handgun inside the family’s home and fatally shot himself.
Jasper’s case occurred after Maine strengthened its child endangerment laws in 2021, which made it illegal to leave unsecured firearms accessible to children.
The death came as a shock to Jasper’s family and the wider community. Dozens held a vigil days after the incident and created a memorial with stuffed animals, flowers and candles near the apartment building.
Many called for accountability and criticized the Maine Department of Health and Human Services for not acting sooner. Family members said there had been a total of 17 calls to DHHS from various people in Jasper’s life. Seven investigations followed with no findings, a family member said.
This story was originally published by the Maine Trust for Local News. Joe Charpentier can be reached at jcharpentier@sunjournal.com.