Utah Father Who Nearly Killed His 3 Young Children Forcing Them on Dangerous Canyon Hike, Denied Release | Crime Alert 3PM 12.03.25

Micah Smith, the man charged with endangering his young children during a perilous hike in Big Cottonwood Canyon, Utah—an incident that nearly resulted in one child's death—has been denied early release from jail as he awaits trial.

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Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:00):
Crime Alart hourly update, Breaking crime news Now. I'm Nicole Parton.
Micah Smith, the man charged with endangering his young children
during a perilous hike in Big Cottonwood, Kenyon, Utah, an
incident that nearly resulted in one child's death, has been
denied early release from jail as he awaits trial. On
Tuesday morning, Smith appeared via video link in Third District Court.

(00:23):
Commissioner Todd Olsen, presided over the case issued a protective
order against barring Smith from contact against children. After confirming
his understanding of the order, Smith requested that Olsen consider
setting bail for his release. However, the prosecutor firmly opposed
this request, stating, that's a hard no, your honor.

Speaker 2 (00:44):
That's a hard no, your honor. I haven't had an
opportunity to bring the victim to weigh in on this,
and I direct the court to the declaration of probable cause.
There's a significant safety risk and a no bail warrant
is absolutely appropriate.

Speaker 1 (01:01):
The prosecutor emphasized that releasing Smith poses quote a significant
safety risk and asserted that nobel warrant was absolutely appropriate.
Commissioner Olsen concurred, expressing concerns that Smith would pose a
danger if freed. Olsen reassured Smith, this isn't a permanent ruling,
mister Smith. It's temporary and can be reassessed at your

(01:22):
next hearing. When Smith inquired if there were steps he
could take to demonstrate he is not a threat, Olsen
suggested he discuss this with his court appointed attorney. Smith's
next court date is set for Monday. Smith faces multiple charges,
including aggravated child abuse and child torture after he reportedly
forced his children, ages two, four, and eight, to undertake

(01:44):
a challenging trail hike last October. The family was reported
missing when they failed to return as expected. In a
search and rescue team located them the following day. During
the hike, Smith's daughter expressed her fears about the hikes
safety as the group navigated tetris terrain and the storms
approached upon their rescue team members noted Smith's strange behavior

(02:06):
and lack of concern for his children. At one point,
he claimed that one of his children was dead. Rescuers
initially struggled to find a pulse on his four year
old son, who was subsequently rushed to a hospital where
he suffered a stroke. Smith had instructed his eight year
old daughter on how to perform CPR on her younger
brother while they descended the mountain alone. In a troubling

(02:27):
turn of events last month, while his son remained in
the hospital at Primary Children's Hospital, Smith was charged with trespassing,
interfering with his son's medical care, and tampering with equipment.
Following this incident, he was also arrested for domestic violence
related to a different occurrence. Well Crime in Justice News

(02:48):
after this and now to Tennessee, where two men experienced
a terrifying ordeal after they said they escaped it kidnapping
in Nashville by calling for assistance from the trunk of
a car. According to the Metro Nashville Police, Jericho MacFarland,
forty one, threatened the duo, ages eighteen and twenty six,

(03:11):
with a gun, fired several shots before forcing them into
the trunk of his white Ford Fusion. One shot grazed
the victim's left ankle and traveled down through his shoe,
according to the court documents. McFarland was arrested on Tuesday
in connection with the November sixteen incident, which police say
took place around four forty five PM in an alley

(03:32):
behind the Sidco gas station on Dickerson Pike. While police
did not provide details regarding the circumstances leading up to
the shooting or the relationship between the suspect and the victims,
a spokesperson noted that quote, this does not appear to
be a random act. Once trapped in the trunk, one
of the victims managed to call nine one one shortly after.

(03:53):
Police alleged that McFarland stopped the car on Leche Avenue
and opened the trunk with the unis identified accomplice with him.
They removed the victims, removed their pants, and assaulted both
of them with a firearm, reported the Metropolitan Nationale Police Department,
and affidavit indicated that the suspects also took various items

(04:14):
from them, including necklaces and cell phones. Ultimately, dispatch was
able to ping the victim's phone, allowing officers to locate
the car with the men still inside the trunk. However,
both assailants managed to escape the scene before police could
arrest them. Police say the investigation is ongoing and they
are searching for those suspects and now to Alabama, where

(04:36):
police are asking for the public's help and locating a
missing man, James Lewis Hatcher. He has been missing since Monday,
November thirty. Hatcher was visiting from Miami, Florida, when he
was last seen at a public shopping center in Enterprise, Alabama,
two days ago. Authorities say he was driving a black
BMW with a Florida tag d V zero six PA

(05:00):
at the time of his disappearance. According to officials, Hatcher
suffers from severe PTSD and his family and law enforcement
are concerned for his safety. Anyone with information on his
whereabouts is urged to contact the Enterprise Police Department at
three three four three four seven two two two two.

(05:20):
Police say James Lewis Hatcher, thirty seven, blackmail, non Hispanic.
He was last seen wearing a black hoodie, black pants,
and black sneakers. He's described as five four, one hundred
and sixty seven pounds with brown eyes and black hair.
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(05:41):
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I'm nico partner