Susan Smith, the infamous South Carolina mother convicted of murdering her two young sons in 1995, has been handed a prison disciplinary charge just weeks before her scheduled parole hearing. Smith, now 53, was sentenced to life in prison for the 1994 drowning deaths of her sons, three-year-old Michael and 14-month-old Alexander, whom she strapped into their car seats before rolling the car into a lake.
The South Carolina Department of Corrections recently revealed that Smith was caught communicating with a filmmaker from behind bars in August, discussing her crimes and providing contact information for friends, family, and victims, including her ex-husband, David Smith. The filmmaker reportedly deposited money into Smith’s prison account, further complicating the situation, reported by the Daily Mail.
On October 3, Smith was charged with an internal disciplinary violation for communicating with a victim and/or witness, a direct violation of the Department of Corrections’ policy prohibiting interviews by phone or in person. While inmates are allowed to write letters, they are not permitted to engage in unauthorized communication. As a result, Smith has lost her telephone, canteen, and tablet privileges for 90 days, starting on October 4.
Chrysti Shain, Director of Communications for the South Carolina Department of Corrections, explained that the tablets can be used for monitored phone calls and electronic messages, adding, “The department will determine when and if inmate Smith will earn the opportunity to be issued a tablet again.”
Smith has a long history of infractions during her time in prison, including drug use, self-harm, and incidents of s*xual misconduct involving prison guards. Earlier this year, it was revealed that Smith had been engaging in phone s*x with a man half her age from behind bars.
Smith’s heinous crime shocked the nation in 1994. She initially claimed her sons were abducted by an unidentified Black man during a carjacking, even appearing on national television in tears while her then-husband, David Smith, pleaded for their return. However, Smith’s story quickly unraveled, and she eventually confessed to the murders. It was later reported that she killed her sons after her lover, Tom Findley, ended their relationship because he did not want children.
Although Smith has expressed regret, claiming she initially planned to take her own life, her ex-husband remains vehemently opposed to her release. Smith remains eligible for parole on November 4, where she will request a hearing in her bid for freedom.