Stepdad imprisoned for eight years after boy, 4, picked up gun and shot himself dead
A Maine man has been sentenced to eight years in prison after his four-year-old stepson fatally shot himself with an unsecured handgun in the family's flat. Robert McCoy, 37, was present when Jasper Smith found the loaded 9mm Luger handgun in a zipped bag, took it to a bedroom and accidentally shot himself in May 2025. McCoy pleaded guilty to manslaughter and endangering the welfare of a child, having originally faced up to 30 years imprisonment. The case highlights a tragic failure of firearm safety and systemic failures in child welfare intervention.
McCoy will serve eight years in prison followed by six years of probation, during which he cannot possess firearms or interact with children under six. Court documents revealed that family members had contacted the Department of Health and Human Services Child and Family Services at least 17 times before the boy's death, prompting seven investigations into the household over concerns about living conditions and parental care. The boy's uncle testified the death could have been prevented, whilst his biological father expressed regret at never having had the chance to know his son. McCoy expressed remorse in court, saying he was "crushed and haunted" by the tragedy.
- Stepdad sentenced to 8 years after stepson, 4, fatally shoots himself with unsecured gun.
- Family had contacted child services 17 times before the tragedy.
- Prior to sentencing, McCoy faced up to 30 years on manslaughter charge.
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A four-year-old boy in Maine died after finding an unsecured loaded handgun in his family's flat and accidentally shooting himself in May 2025. The child lived with his stepfather, Robert McCoy.
The incident raises serious questions about both firearm storage safety and how child welfare systems respond to reported concerns. Family members had made 17 separate reports to state authorities over concerns about the household's living conditions and care standards, yet the underlying problems remained unresolved despite the seven state investigations into the home.