Micah Smith, the Utah father accused of taking his three young children on a near-deadly October hike in Big Cottonwood Canyon, remains locked up on felony child torture and aggravated child abuse charges. Two of the children suffered life-threatening injuries, and all three were hospitalized after search-and-rescue crews found the family overnight on a steep trail. With pretrial hearings underway, prosecutors and residents are closely watching the docket for a trial date.
The Salt Lake County Sheriff's Office says Smith was indicted on three counts of child torture and three counts of aggravated child abuse and is being held without bond, according to a public statement from the Salt Lake County Sheriff's Office. Local reporting details the rescue and the children's injuries; charging documents and coverage describe a video in which one child asks, "Are we going to freeze to death, Daddy?" and says the 4-year-old arrived at the hospital with a dangerously low core temperature and later suffered a stroke, according to KSL. Prosecutors have said the investigation is complete and the case is now in the district attorney's hands.
Where The Case Stands Now
Smith has made multiple appearances in Third District Court in Salt Lake City, and court records and coverage indicate judges have repeatedly denied his release, keeping him in custody through the early phases of the case. A recent update in The Salt Lake Tribune walked through the timeline and what still needs to happen to move the case toward trial. Prosecutors have argued to judges that Smith poses a significant safety risk if he is released.
Prosecutors' Account And The Legal Stakes
Charging papers describe a father who kept pressing uphill as the weather worsened, ignored text messages from his wife urging him to turn around, and continued climbing even as his children begged to leave, according to prosecutors. Salt Lake County District Attorney Sim Gill labeled the conduct "depraved" in early filings, and local reporting notes that the charges are first-degree felonies that can bring penalties up to life in prison in the most serious cases, according to KSL.
Why The Broads Fork Trail Matters
The outing unfolded on the Broads Fork Trail in Big Cottonwood Canyon, a steep route that climbs toward the Twin Peaks cirque and cuts across rocky, avalanche-prone stretches where conditions can shift quickly. The U.S. Forest Service describes Broads Fork as a challenging trail that gains significant elevation in a short distance, factors that prosecutors say made the trip especially dangerous for small children.
What's Next For The Family And The Court
No firm trial date has been set, and the case is still in the pretrial stage as prosecutors work through evidence and the defense prepares motions. Local television coverage reported that the 4-year-old needed emergency neurosurgery after complications following the rescue, and hospitals and family members have largely declined to comment publicly on the children's current medical condition, as reported by FOX13.
Hoodline previously ran a brief item summarizing the initial nightmare hike indictment, but the case remains an active court matter, and substantive developments are expected to surface through new filings and official statements. For now, prosecutors have the case in hand, and Smith remains in custody while the legal process grinds forward.
