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A now-deactivated GoFundMe page initially called Utah father-of-three Micah Smith a hero for saving his kids during a storm on their dangerous hike
Erin KellerIn OhioThursday 27 November 2025 17:42 GMT
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A Utah father, once hailed as a hero for rescuing his three young children after they went missing on a mountain hike, has now been arrested and charged with aggravated child abuse and child torture.
Micah Smith, 31, was booked into the Salt Lake County Jail on Tuesday in connection with an October hike on the strenuous Broads Fork Trail in Big Cottonwood Canyon.
Smith and his children, ages 8, 4, and 2, became trapped in a storm during the outing and were reported missing. Rescuers found them the next day, discovering the 4-year-old was lying on top of the 2-year-old, both unconscious and not breathing.
Smith told officials he performed CPR on the younger boys, who were lightly dressed for the frigid conditions.
Two of the children were hospitalized in critical condition, while Smith was listed in fair condition. The 4-year-old later suffered a stroke and required part of his skull to be removed after arriving at the hospital with a body temperature of just 62.6 degrees.
open image in galleryRescuers found Micah Smith and his three young children the day after they were reported missing from a Utah hike, with two of the children unconscious (Facebook)According to charging documents cited by Fox 13, authorities accuse Smith of choosing to “summit a mountain over the safety of the kids.”
Though he was initially praised as the hero of the ordeal, including in a since-deleted GoFundMe,
Investigators say Smith continued the steep and dangerous ascent despite worsening weather and repeated pleas from his children that they were cold, tired and frightened.
In a video recorded by Smith, his daughter can be heard asking, “Are we going to freeze to death, daddy?” Yet Smith pressed on, according to the documents.
At one point, officials say Smith even taught his daughter how to perform CPR before leaving the children on the mountain and attempting to head down alone. First responders later performed 25 minutes of CPR on the 4-year-old during the rescue.
The daughter told investigators she begged her father multiple times to turn back as the storm intensified, but he refused.
She said Smith insisted it was a “once-in-a-lifetime” experience and blocked her from going back down the trail, allegedly telling her, “You shall not pass.”
Smith’s daughter also said her father told them the hike was either nine miles long or would take nine hours, but she couldn’t remember which. The trail is actually a five-mile round trip with a steep elevation gain.
Rescuers ultimately found the family about 600 feet from the summit, sheltering behind a boulder with a few sticks to block the wind after the youngest child fell, hit his head, and became dazed.
When rescuers reached the group, they reported that Smith was “behaving oddly” and “did not appear to be concerned about the children.”
open image in galleryA month before the hike, Micah Smith was found with guns and an axe after expressing suicidal thoughts and wanting to climb a mountain, according to police records (Facebook)Smith is currently being held on bond, according to jail records viewed by the New York Post.
According to the NYP, Smith had prior run-ins with police, including an incident a month before the hike when officers found him with two guns and an axe after he expressed suicidal thoughts and said he wanted to climb a mountain.
He reportedly claimed at that time that he did not intend to harm himself.
On November 10, Smith was accused of trespassing at Primary Children’s Hospital, interfering with his 4-year-old son’s medical care, and tampering with equipment, Fox 13 reported. He was later arrested in a separate domestic violence case.
Prosecutors wrote in the indictment that Smith’s behavior was “clearly spiraling” and that he posed a danger to himself and to the victims.
If you or someone you know needs mental health assistance right now, call or text 988, or visit 988lifeline.org to access online chat from the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline. This is a free, confidential crisis hotline that is available to everyone 24 hours a day, seven days a week. If you’re in the UK, you can speak to the Samaritans, in confidence, on 116 123 (UK and ROI), email [email protected], or visit the Samaritans website to find details of your nearest branch. If you are in another country, you can go to www.befrienders.org to find a helpline near you.
