A father of three in Utah is behind bars after intentionally leading his three children on a perilous and arduous hike through death-defying conditions last month, Beehive State law enforcement say.

Micah Smith, 31, stands accused of three counts each of child torture and aggravated child abuse , according to the Salt Lake County District Attorney's Office.

The underlying incident occurred in early October at Big Cottonwood Canyon — a deep gorge in the Wasatch Mountain Range located roughly 12 miles southeast of Salt Lake City.

There, several trails are available for hikers of all experience levels, according to hiking guide website AllTrails. But, law enforcement officials claim, Smith took his three young children — ages 2, 4, and 8 — on the Broads Fork Trail , which is a trail rated

See Full Page