- Micah Smith, charged with child abuse, had a prior police encounter on Oct. 4, new documents and footage revealed on Wednesday.
- Smith’s children were hospitalized on Oct. 11 after a dangerous hike in Big Cottonwood Canyon.
- Smith’s mental health concerns were noted by police; he is being held without bail until a hearing on Jan. 6.
SALT LAKE CITY — Newly obtained police documents and body camera footage show the man charged with child abuse and torture after allegedly taking his children on a dangerous hike had a run-in with police a week beforehand. The documents said officers were concerned for his mental state.
Micah Smith, a 32-year-old man from South Jordan, took his three children, ages 2, 4 and 8, on a hike to the summit of Twin Peaks in Big Cottonwood Canyon on Oct. 11, according to the Salt Lake County Sheriff’s Office. Court documents said the trail was difficult, but it was made worse by a winter storm that rolled in when the family was on the mountain.
The hike turned into a 24-hour ordeal before rescuers found the family. Two of the children were hospitalized in critical condition…