Susan Smith, the South Carolina woman who confessed to drowning her two young sons nearly 30 years ago, was unanimously denied parole during her first hearing before the parole board on Wednesday.
Appearing via Zoom, a visibly emotional Smith, now 53, expressed remorse for her actions. “I know that what I did was horrible. And I would give anything if I could go back and change it,” she said. “I love Michael and Alex with all my heart.”
On October 25, 1994, Smith, then 23, strapped her sons—3-year-old Michael and 14-month-old Alexander—into their car seats and allowed the car to roll into a lake near her home, resulting in their deaths. Initially, Smith fabricated a story, claiming that a Black man had carjacked her and kidnapped her children. Her husband and the public rallied behind her as the couple made televised pleas for the safe return of their sons.
However, on November 3, 1994, Smith confessed to the killings after police confronted her about inconsistencies in her account. The case shocked the nation, particularly for its fabricated racial overtones and the tragic loss of innocent lives.
During the hearing, the board noted the significant resources Smith’s deception diverted from law enforcement during the search for her sons. Asked what she would say to those involved, Smith replied, “I’m sorry that I put them through that. I wish I could take that back, I really do.”
Smith explained her initial lies, saying, “I didn’t lie to get away with it. … I was just scared. I didn’t know how to tell the people that loved them that they’d never see them again.”
She also spoke about her faith, saying, “I am a Christian, and God is a big part of my life. And I know he has forgiven me.”
Despite her expressions of remorse, the parole board determined that Smith would remain in prison, where she has been serving a life sentence.
