What did Joshua Smith and Jem Bean Do? Maine parents and grandmother charged in murder of 10-year-old

Joshua Smith, Jem Bean, and Mistie Latourette have been accused in the alleged homicide of a 10-year-old child in Maine. Police have confirmed that Smith and Bean are the parents of the victim, while Latourette is the paternal grandmother. Authorities conducted an autopsy on the child, which led them to believe that it was a case of homicide.

Trigger warning: The article contains references to the death of a minor. Readers' discretion is advised.

After the arrest, all the suspects have been charged in connection to the homicide. According to law enforcement officials, the child was brought to the hospital on February 18, 2024, with some injuries.

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Maine parents and a grandmother had been arrested and charged in connection to the death of a 10-year-old child

A horrific incident took place in Maine after a 10-year-old child died in a local hospital. The victim was reportedly brought to the hospital by his family on Sunday, February 18, 2024. They had sustained specific injuries, which later took their life as well.

Officials with the Bangor Police Department arrested the parents and the paternal grandma of the child in connection to their death. Authorities have further charged the suspects with depraved indifference murder. News Center Maine reported that police have detained the suspects at Penobscot County Jail.

The Chief Medical Examiner in Augusta performed an autopsy on the child's body, depending on which authorities determined the case to be a homicide. The suspects' first court appearance has been scheduled for Friday, March 1, 2024, at 1 pm local time.

The case is an active investigation, and authorities are yet to reveal further information. The suspects are currently detained at the Penobscot County Jail, as The Bangor Daily News reported. The news station added that after the child died overnight, hospital authorities notified about the same to the Bangor Police Department and the Department of Health and Human Services.

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Authorities have not yet provided a lot of information regarding the kind of injuries the kid sustained

The law enforcement officials initially assumed that the severe injuries that the child had sustained would be the primary reason behind his death. However, they have not confirmed anything regarding the same. Authorities have also provided the victim's mum's background.

35-year-old Jem Bean has worked in the Department of Health and Human Services administrative department at Dorothea Dix Psychiatric Hospital in Bangor, Maine. The same has been confirmed by the hospital spokesperson Lindsay Hammes. Hammes confirmed that Bean's work does not involve direct interaction with children.

The Bangor Daily News reported Hammes' statement:

"The death of a child is a tragedy and the charges in this case are deeply disturbing. The department will continue to do all it can to support the pursuit of justice in cases of violence against children."

Hammes denied revealing any information regarding whether they had previously investigated the suspected family or not. The case is a developing story, and updates can be expected.