Meals Community winner who killed foster daughter sentenced to everyday living in jail

GREENVILLE, S.C. (FOX Carolina) – Right after a 4-day trial, a previous Food Community contestant accused of killing her foster daughter was sentenced to lifestyle in prison.

Ariel Robinson was convicted of murder by boy or girl abuse in the loss of life of 3-year-outdated Victoria “Tori” Rose Smith, who died at their dwelling on Sellwood Circle in Simpsonville on Jan. 14, 2021. Prosecutors said Robinson seriously conquer the youngster with a belt which prompted her to suffer inner bleeding.

The jury commenced deliberating all over 12:20 p.m. on Thursday. Just after an hour and a 50 % of deliberation, Robinson was located responsible. She was sentenced to existence in prison.

Her partner, Jerry “Austin” Robinson who testified against her, took a plea deal and now faces a sentence of 10 to 20 decades in jail.

Down below is a recap of the demo:

THURSDAY

In closing arguments, Deputy Solicitor Christy Sustakovich mentioned the evidence versus Robinson is “overwhelming.”

“The only man or woman who you have seen getting cruel to Tori is this defendant,” Sustakovich explained.

Sustakovich reported the defendant’s spouse, Jerry “Austin” Robinson, is a “criminal” who “did not shield Tori.” Austin Robinson has now pleaded guilty to aiding and abetting murder by child abuse.

Ariel Robinson’s lawyer, Bill Bouton, also talked about her husband and instructed the jury he has “credibility issues.” Mr. Robinson now faces a sentence of 10 to 20 years in jail.

“He cut a offer,” Bouton informed the jury. “There’s a huge variance involving 10 years and lifestyle in jail. He experienced a large amount to get.”

Previously, when Ariel Robinson took the stand, she was get over with emotion all through parts of her testimony. When her lawyer requested what it was like to have 3-12 months-old Tori in the dwelling, she became really psychological. Crying, Robinson explained Tori was “a great child” and very quick to get together with.

Robinson claimed she never ever noticed bruises on Tori’s body until finally later and grew to become tearful when describing Tori as her “mini-me.”

When questioned about her husband’s statements to law enforcement that she brutally conquer Tori, she explained “He was lying.” When asked why she informed police that Tori’s 7-yr-aged brother brought about Tori’s accidents, Robinson reported he had triggered bruises in the previous and she was “trying to be practical.” The defendant did not say her spouse triggered Tori’s bruises but did testify that he has “one of the scariest types of anger problems.”

The prosecution introduced a Father’s Day social media submit created by Robinson showing a photograph of her spouse with Tori and a caption that includes “There’s not a daddy-daughter duo in the globe who enjoy each and every other extra than these two right here” and “what an wonderful daddy he is.”

In the article, Robinson said self-discipline of the small children did not appear from her spouse.

The initially witness known as to the stand by the protection on Thursday was a previous assistant pastor at Lifetime Restoration Church who was familiar with the Robinsons and their mother and father. She testified that the defendant’s husband does not have a reputation for currently being truthful.

WEDNESDAY

Robinson informed the judge she does approach to testify in her personal defense. The judge explained Robinson’s testimony will take position Thursday early morning. The protection commenced its case all over 3:00 p.m. and known as just just one witness to the stand. The officer with the Simpsonville Police Department testified about responding to the Robinsons’ property and inquiring the defendant about the cameras placed in unique rooms.

Earlier in the working day, the jury viewed footage from a Simpsonville police officer’s overall body camera captured soon after Tori was taken to the medical center. The movie showed the defendant in her house with officers as she explained the child’s bruises. In the video, Robinson attributed anything other than the stomach injuries to Tori’s more mature brother with “anger” troubles. She is heard claiming she brought about the stomach bruises with her CPR compressions while attempting to support soon after Tori appeared to be choking on water.

Decide Letitia Verdin warned folks in the gallery about the graphic character of pictures to be proven. The photos were offered through the testimony of Greenville County Main Professional medical Examiner Dr. Michael Ward, a forensic pathologist.

Dr. Ward testified that Tori was overwhelmed with so a great deal force it disrupted blood vessels, tore tissue from tissue and permitted blood to accumulate in her muscles and fat. He described how this could direct to her dying.

“If we get rid of plenty of blood, the coronary heart does not have ample volume to pump,” Dr. Ward said.

Dr. Ward testified that the injuries do not appear to have been inflicted around time but instead in 1 celebration. He also mentioned the absence of any defensive injuries suggests someone was capable to hold Tori’s arms to prevent her from shielding herself although inflicting the blows.

Two acquaintances of the Robinsons testified that they observed the defendant and Tori in the restroom at Life Restoration Church. Robinson’s partner, Jerry “Austin” Robinson, experienced earlier advised investigators that the deadly beating of Tori stemmed from an incident the night ahead of when the baby vomited on the way to a church support.

Jean Smith and Avery Santiago each testified that they observed Tori undressed in the restroom as Ariel Robinson appeared to wash a garment in the sink.

Smith claimed she questioned Robinson if Tori was ill.

“She claimed, ‘No. She eats as well substantially and helps make herself toss up. It is a activity,’” Smith testified.

Santiago stated Robinson gave her a identical response when she questioned what took place and could hear Robinson tending to the baby.

“I heard Ariel say ‘Oh, you are chilly. You are chilly. Women that make on their own throw up are worthy of to be cold,’” Santiago testified.

Sgt. Scott Magaw with the Simpsonville Police Office was the 1st point out witness known as to the stand. He testified that he noticed bruising on Tori’s system following responding to the home. Magaw testified that the defendant claimed the bruising to the abdomen was from her failed attempts to complete the Heimlich maneuver and that she attributed the leg bruising to a beating from Tori’s 7-yr-old brother. He also testified that the defendant’s husband voluntarily approached law enforcement and instructed them that his wife conquer the kid with a brown, leather belt.

TUESDAY

Jerry “Austin” Robinson was the first witness to acquire the stand just after the jury’s lunchbreak. The prosecutor commenced by reviewing how he pleaded guilty to aiding and abetting homicide by youngster abuse a couple of weeks back.

Austin Robinson testified about how he and the defendant needed to broaden their family through adoption and how Tori and her two more mature brothers moved into their dwelling about two months right after his spouse returned from her visual appearance on the Foodstuff Network present “Worst Cooks in The usa.”

Robinson testified that his wife would willpower Tori with several belts or a wooden paddle when she was induced by Tori’s taking in habits.

“Sometimes I’d just take a piece of (her) food just to assist her out,” Robinson testified.

He testified about the very last discussion he experienced with Tori.

“She was laying on the bed,” Robinson testified. “She told me she beloved me and I stated ‘I like you as well.’ I stated, ‘I assure this won’t come about yet again.’ She explained ‘Okay.’”

Testimony began with pics from within the Robinsons’ property exactly where first responders found Tori unresponsive. The prosecution referred to as a former sergeant with the Greenville County Forensic Division to the stand. Jonathan Hamilton, now a deputy coroner, testified about likely to the Robinson family’s home to abide by up on what had turn out to be an investigation into a case of little one abuse or neglect.

The state’s second witness of the day was Beau Givens, with the Simpsonville Fireplace Section, who testified that he responded to a contact about a drowning at the Robinsons’ property. Givens reported he arrived to see a colleague executing CPR on the boy or girl and then took about with the upper body compressions.

Givens stated whilst he was tending to Tori, Robinson said Robinson claimed that Tori experienced been repeatedly ingesting water right before going limp.

As efforts ongoing to revive Tori, Givens testified that some of her clothing had to be taken out, which then revealed the extent of bruising of her entire body.

Givens testified that Robinson volunteered an rationalization by expressing that Tori’s 7-12 months-outdated brother has anger difficulties and hits her.

“When she mentioned that, that’s when I acquired worried this is negative,” Givens.

Givens testified that he observed the older brother a small time later and remarked on his compact stature.

“I never treatment if you give the child a ball bat,” Givens explained. “He’s not going to be able to do this a lot harm to the minimal girl.”

Paramedic Ken Koller with Greenville County EMS testified about undertaking further actions to revive Tori, who showed no heart activity. He testified hearing Robinson attributing the bruises to her more mature brother. Koller testified the injuries seemed extra consistent with what an grownup would inflict.

“All this is from the brother?” Koller recalled indicating.

The prosecution referred to as Jaime Anderson-Pearson, a retail store manager with the CVS in Simpsonville, to the stand. Anderson-Pearson testified about a request from law enforcement for surveillance video that captured Austin Robinson’s visit to the retail store.

MONDAY

In a pretrial motion on Monday, a judge ruled to permit two of 3 body camera videos from the working day of Smith’s dying to be played in courtroom. The Robinsons’ protection lawyer did not want the videos admitted in courtroom due to the fact he stated Ariel Robinson was not read through her Miranda rights right before statements she manufactured in the videos.

After jury collection wrapped up, opening statements started off all-around 2:15 p.m. Fifteen jurors – 3 of them alternates – have been seated in the circumstance.

“You’ll hear the devastating theory of gatherings that go from Tori striving to take in some pancakes to a little one crushed to a pulp,” said prosecutor Christy Sustakovich.

Prosecutors explained Jerry “Austin” Robinson will testify in the demo about the beating they say led to Tori’s loss of life.

“You’ll hear how Austin Robinson walked into the house and sees Ariel keeping a belt higher than Tori,” Sustakovich explained. “He says ‘Ariel, you have long gone much too much. You’ve long gone also considerably this time.’”

The kid experienced interior bleeding in her legs, pictures of which have been ruled admissible in court docket.

William Bouton, Robinson’s protection attorney, urged the jury not to hurry to judgment. He explained his 30-yr-previous customer is a previous middle faculty instructor with a master’s diploma from Clemson University. Bouton mentioned the Robinsons fulfilled in large college, married and had two organic kids of their very own.

“These photos of this weak youngster are horrific and I fear that you see these images and your initial intuition is, ‘I gotta maintain any individual accountable’ and which is not what your job is,” claimed Bouton. “Your career is to look at what the evidence is and make a dedication that the state has confirmed that my consumer is the a single who fully commited this criminal offense.”

The state’s to start with witness was Cpl. Karlee Patrikis with the Simpsonville Law enforcement Department. The court played a recording captured by Patrikis’ physique digital camera when she responded to the 911 connect with to the Robinsons’ dwelling.

In the recording, Ariel Robinson is listened to proclaiming that Tori’s 7-yr-outdated brother, Jaden, who was also the Robinsons’ foster boy or girl, prompted the accidents.

“She bruises seriously lousy. She has delicate skin. Her brother kicks her and kicks her. He has anger difficulties. He’s been in remedy for it,” Robinson claims.

The 2nd witness for the condition was Investigator Jay Weibel, who testified about taking shots of Tori in the medical center, as daily life help and medication stored her alive. He explained he did not feel Tori’s brother prompted his sister’s injuries.

“It was uncovered that Jaden is a incredibly small youngster and (with) his size compared to Tori’s…we did not truly feel that he was able of inflicting that sum of injury or personal injury to Victoria,” Weibel testified.

If located guilty, Robinson could be powering bars for the relaxation of her existence.

Robinson’s partner pleaded responsible to aiding and abetting homicide by baby abuse on April 14. He will be sentenced just after Ariel Robinson’s demo.

“We are particularly grateful to the jury for their close attention and operate on this devastating situation. This jury had to see and listen to matters that had been truly horrific. We are incredibly grateful for the verdict in this tragic case. There are no winners in a scenario like this one particular. We cannot carry Tori back but she will often stay on in our recollections. I’ve uncovered in these instances, the best you can hope for is justice and the jury brought precisely that. May perhaps sweet Victoria Rose Smith relaxation in eternal peace without end.”

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