BANGOR, Maine (TCN) — The mother and paternal grandmother of a 10-year-old boy have been sentenced to prison for their roles in the child’s death in 2024. Jem Bean, 37, and Mistie Latourette, 59, will each spend 10 years behind bars after pleading guilty to manslaughter in connection with the death of Bean’s son, Braxtyn Smith, WABI reports. The child’s father, Joshua Smith, pleaded guilty to depraved indifference murder in June, two days after asking to change his plea to not guilty by reason of insanity. Latourette is Joshua Smith’s mother. According to WGME, Braxtyn Smith died from blunt force trauma after enduring months of starvation, abuse, and neglect. He weighed 48 pounds when he died. Bean and Latourette brought the boy to a hospital on Feb. 18, 2024. They reportedly said he had vomited and was not feeling well. The child did not have a pulse when he arrived and was pronounced dead that night. Medical staff reportedly saw bruising all over his body and bleeding between his skull and brain. His condition was consistent with battered child syndrome, and his death was ruled a homicide. Bean told investigators she and Joshua Smith used zip ties to restrain their son when he had tantrums, but she denied abusing him. Witnesses reportedly said the boy ate from the trash and was fed dog food. Braxtyn Smith was homeschooled and was allegedly forced to sleep in a bathroom with his hands and ankles bound. Prosecutors said Bean did not directly cause Braxtyn’s fatal injuries but failed to protect him, WABI reports. She apologized to her son and his surviving younger sister during her sentencing hearing. Bean was also sentenced to six years of probation and ordered to pay $375 toward her son’s funeral expenses. She is prohibited from contacting her biological daughter, who has since been adopted. Latourette was also sentenced to four years of probation and ordered to pay $375 in restitution. She is prohibited from contacting Braxtyn Smith’s sister or any child younger than 14. Prosecutors identified Joshua Smith as Braxtyn Smith’s primary abuser. He is expected to be sentenced in September. MORE: Dad who zip-tied 10-year-old son, forced him to eat dog food and trash pleads guilty to murder – True Crime NewsBangor mother, grandmother sentenced to 10 years in child’s death — WABIMaine mother, grandmother sentenced in death of 10-year-old Braxtyn Smith — WGME

BANGOR, Maine (TCN) — The mother and paternal grandmother of a 10-year-old boy have been sentenced to prison for their roles in the child’s death in 2024. Jem Bean, 37, and Mistie Latourette, 59, will each spend 10 years behind bars after pleading guilty to manslaughter in connection with the death of Bean’s son, Braxtyn Smith, WABI reports. The child’s father, Joshua Smith, pleaded guilty to depraved indifference murder in June, two days after asking to change his plea to not guilty by reason of insanity. Latourette is Joshua Smith’s mother. According to WGME, Braxtyn Smith died from blunt force trauma after enduring months of starvation, abuse, and neglect. He weighed 48 pounds when he died. Bean and Latourette brought the boy to a hospital on Feb. 18, 2024. They reportedly said he had vomited and was not feeling well. The child did not have a pulse when he arrived and was pronounced dead that night. Medical staff reportedly saw bruising all over his body and bleeding between his skull and brain. His condition was consistent with battered child syndrome, and his death was ruled a homicide. Bean told investigators she and Joshua Smith used zip ties to restrain their son when he had tantrums, but she denied abusing him. Witnesses reportedly said the boy ate from the trash and was fed dog food. Braxtyn Smith was homeschooled and was allegedly forced to sleep in a bathroom with his hands and ankles bound. Prosecutors said Bean did not directly cause Braxtyn’s fatal injuries but failed to protect him, WABI reports. She apologized to her son and his surviving younger sister during her sentencing hearing. Bean was also sentenced to six years of probation and ordered to pay $375 toward her son’s funeral expenses. She is prohibited from contacting her biological daughter, who has since been adopted. Latourette was also sentenced to four years of probation and ordered to pay $375 in restitution. She is prohibited from contacting Braxtyn Smith’s sister or any child younger than 14. Prosecutors identified Joshua Smith as Braxtyn Smith’s primary abuser. He is expected to be sentenced in September. MORE: Dad who zip-tied 10-year-old son, forced him to eat dog food and trash pleads guilty to murder – True Crime NewsBangor mother, grandmother sentenced to 10 years in child’s death — WABIMaine mother, grandmother sentenced in death of 10-year-old Braxtyn Smith — WGME

INDIANAPOLIS (TCN) — A 23-year-old man has been sentenced to 76 years in prison after pleading guilty to child molestation and rape in connection with a 2024 home invasion. On June 29, 2024, police were called to a home after receiving a report of rape, WXIN reports. Responding officers made contact with a woman who said that both she and her daughter, age 12, had been raped at gunpoint. She stated that a masked man, later identified as Teshon Gardner, came to the door, showed her his gun, and told her to let him in. Gardner then raped her and asked if she was alone after looking at family photos on the wall.  Gardner reportedly walked down the hall to the woman’s daughter’s room and raped the child at gunpoint. WXIN reports he filmed both attacks on his cellphone.Gardner stayed in the home for about an hour, WTHR reports. According to WISH, two other children, ages 1 and 8, were in the home at the time. WXIN reports police tracked down the suspect using cameras and arrested him during a traffic stop. In an interview, Gardner was asked if he had any tattoos and told authorities he had one on his stomach, per WTHR. Authorities confirmed it matched the description given by the victims.He was charged with 19 counts of rape, child molestation, and sexual battery.On Aug. 6, Gardner pleaded guilty to one charge each of rape and child molestation and was sentenced to 38 years for each charge, according to WXIN.MORE: ‘Every family’s worst nightmare’: Pennsylvania man sentenced for home invasion that targeted 25-year-old woman — True Crime News‘Honey, I’m here’: Oregon man broke into home and attempted to rape woman who was holding her baby — True Crime News

INDIANAPOLIS (TCN) — A 23-year-old man has been sentenced to 76 years in prison after pleading guilty to child molestation and rape in connection with a 2024 home invasion. On June 29, 2024, police were called to a home after receiving a report of rape, WXIN reports. Responding officers made contact with a woman who said that both she and her daughter, age 12, had been raped at gunpoint. She stated that a masked man, later identified as Teshon Gardner, came to the door, showed her his gun, and told her to let him in. Gardner then raped her and asked if she was alone after looking at family photos on the wall.  Gardner reportedly walked down the hall to the woman’s daughter’s room and raped the child at gunpoint. WXIN reports he filmed both attacks on his cellphone.Gardner stayed in the home for about an hour, WTHR reports. According to WISH, two other children, ages 1 and 8, were in the home at the time. WXIN reports police tracked down the suspect using cameras and arrested him during a traffic stop. In an interview, Gardner was asked if he had any tattoos and told authorities he had one on his stomach, per WTHR. Authorities confirmed it matched the description given by the victims.He was charged with 19 counts of rape, child molestation, and sexual battery.On Aug. 6, Gardner pleaded guilty to one charge each of rape and child molestation and was sentenced to 38 years for each charge, according to WXIN.MORE: ‘Every family’s worst nightmare’: Pennsylvania man sentenced for home invasion that targeted 25-year-old woman — True Crime News‘Honey, I’m here’: Oregon man broke into home and attempted to rape woman who was holding her baby — True Crime News

MARGATE, Fla. (TCN) — A 36-year-old man is behind bars on charges including attempted felony murder after allegedly attacking his sister with a machete while she was asleep next to her 1-year-old daughter.According to WTVT, Ruben Altidore allegedly attempted to kill his sister on Aug. 3. According to an arrest report obtained by the outlet, the victim, whose name has not been released, was asleep in bed with her toddler daughter when Altidore allegedly repeatedly slashed her with a machete. During the attack, he allegedly said, “Oh my God, why aren’t you dead yet?” WPLG reports that the victim ran from Altidore; home surveillance footage allegedly showed him chasing her with the machete. She reportedly collapsed after ringing neighbor Luis Pereria’s doorbell. Pereria told WPLG, “She ran to the middle of the street and then ran to my front door where she was asking for help. … Apparently she was sleeping when this all happened. I was just baffled by it. How can you do that?”According to WTVT, the toddler was not injured but was covered in blood following the alleged attack. The victim was taken to the hospital, where she was treated for serious injuries including a 10-inch laceration on her thigh that exposed the bone, a laceration to the hand that could lead to the possible amputation of multiple fingers, and a cut on her palm that nearly severed her left thumb.Altidore was taken into custody and arrested. He was charged with attempted felony murder, aggravated child abuse, and violation of probation, according to WPLG. He is being held without bond.A motive in the alleged attack has not been released.MORE: Man accused of attacking kids, brother with machete arrested after SWAT standoff — True Crime NewsNephew charged for allegedly fatally attacking aunt with machete at plant nursery — True Crime News