MACHIAS – A judge has acquitted a former Maine man of manslaughter in the death of his adopted son.
Forty-four-year-old Edward Smith was charged with manslaughter, endangering the welfare of a child and aggravated furnishing of scheduled drugs when he was living in Lubec. The 12-year-old boy, who suffered from diabetes, died in April 2012.
WABI-TV reported that the judge ruled Monday in Smith’s favor on two counts but convicted him of providing Valium to the boy.
The defense contended the father made a miscalculation, thinking his son was suffering from a stomach bug instead of a diabetic incident. Prosecutors said he failed to provide adequate care, in addition to giving the boy a drug without a prescription.
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