Foodstuff Community winner who killed foster daughter sentenced to daily life in prison

GREENVILLE, S.C. (FOX Carolina) – Just after a four-day demo, a former Food items Community contestant accused of killing her foster daughter was sentenced to existence in prison.

Ariel Robinson was convicted of homicide by baby abuse in the death of 3-year-previous Victoria “Tori” Rose Smith, who died at their dwelling on Sellwood Circle in Simpsonville on Jan. 14, 2021. Prosecutors claimed Robinson severely conquer the kid with a belt which prompted her to go through inner bleeding.

The jury started deliberating around 12:20 p.m. on Thursday. Following an hour and a fifty percent of deliberation, Robinson was found responsible. She was sentenced to life in prison.

Her spouse, Jerry “Austin” Robinson who testified versus her, took a plea offer and now faces a sentence of 10 to 20 several years in prison.

Under is a recap of the demo:

THURSDAY

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

“The only person who you have witnessed staying cruel to Tori is this defendant,” Sustakovich explained.

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

Ariel Robinson’s legal professional, Monthly bill Bouton, also talked about her husband and informed the jury he has “credibility problems.” Mr. Robinson now faces a sentence of 10 to 20 yrs in jail.

“He slice a deal,” Bouton told the jury. “There’s a large variation in between 10 many years and lifestyle in jail. He experienced a ton to obtain.”

Earlier, when Ariel Robinson took the stand, she was defeat with emotion through elements of her testimony. When her lawyer requested what it was like to have 3-year-aged Tori in the dwelling, she became quite emotional. Crying, Robinson mentioned Tori was “a perfect child” and extremely uncomplicated to get alongside with.

Robinson claimed she in no way saw bruises on Tori’s entire body till afterwards and turned tearful when describing Tori as her “mini-me.”

When requested about her husband’s statements to police that she brutally conquer Tori, she explained “He was lying.” When requested why she instructed police that Tori’s 7-yr-aged brother induced Tori’s accidents, Robinson stated he had induced bruises in the previous and she was “trying to be helpful.” The defendant did not say her partner caused Tori’s bruises but did testify that he has “one of the scariest varieties of anger problems.”

The prosecution introduced a Father’s Working day social media post produced by Robinson demonstrating a photograph of her partner with Tori and a caption that consists of “There’s not a daddy-daughter duo in the entire world who appreciate each and every other far more than these two appropriate here” and “what an remarkable daddy he is.”

In the post, Robinson explained discipline of the youngsters did not appear from her husband.

The very first witness identified as to the stand by the protection on Thursday was a previous assistant pastor at Life Restoration Church who was familiar with the Robinsons and their moms and dads. She testified that the defendant’s partner does not have a name for staying truthful.

WEDNESDAY

Robinson advised the choose she does plan to testify in her own protection. The choose claimed Robinson’s testimony will acquire spot Thursday morning. The defense began its circumstance all over 3:00 p.m. and termed just a person witness to the stand. The officer with the Simpsonville Police Division testified about responding to the Robinsons’ home and inquiring the defendant about the cameras positioned in different rooms.

Before in the working day, the jury viewed footage from a Simpsonville law enforcement officer’s entire body digicam captured soon after Tori was taken to the hospital. The online video confirmed the defendant in her property with officers as she spelled out the child’s bruises. In the movie, Robinson attributed almost everything other than the belly accidents to Tori’s more mature brother with “anger” troubles. She is read professing she induced the abdominal bruises with her CPR compressions when seeking to support following Tori appeared to be choking on water.

Judge Letitia Verdin warned individuals in the gallery about the graphic mother nature of shots to be demonstrated. The photos have been offered for the duration of the testimony of Greenville County Chief Medical Examiner Dr. Michael Ward, a forensic pathologist.

Dr. Ward testified that Tori was beaten with so much power it disrupted blood vessels, tore tissue from tissue and permitted blood to acquire in her muscles and excess fat. He stated how this could guide to her demise.

“If we eliminate sufficient blood, the coronary heart doesn’t have ample quantity to pump,” Dr. Ward mentioned.

Dr. Ward testified that the accidents do not show up to have been inflicted over time but alternatively in a single party. He also said the absence of any defensive injuries indicates someone was able to maintain Tori’s palms to avert her from shielding herself though inflicting the blows.

Two acquaintances of the Robinsons testified that they observed the defendant and Tori in the restroom at Lifestyle Restoration Church. Robinson’s spouse, Jerry “Austin” Robinson, had formerly told investigators that the fatal beating of Tori stemmed from an incident the evening ahead of when the youngster vomited on the way to a church assistance.

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

Smith stated she questioned Robinson if Tori was ill.

“She claimed, ‘No. She eats far too significantly and tends to make herself toss up. It’s a sport,’” Smith testified.

Santiago explained Robinson gave her a very similar reaction when she asked what took place and could hear Robinson tending to the boy or girl.

“I read Ariel say ‘Oh, you are cold. You’re cold. Ladies that make on their own toss up have earned to be cold,’” Santiago testified.

Sgt. Scott Magaw with the Simpsonville Law enforcement Division was the initially state witness identified as to the stand. He testified that he saw bruising on Tori’s physique right after responding to the house. Magaw testified that the defendant claimed the bruising to the abdomen was from her failed makes an attempt to complete the Heimlich maneuver and that she attributed the leg bruising to a beating from Tori’s 7-12 months-outdated brother. He also testified that the defendant’s partner voluntarily approached legislation enforcement and informed them that his wife defeat the youngster with a brown, leather-based belt.

TUESDAY

Jerry “Austin” Robinson was the to start with witness to acquire the stand following the jury’s lunchbreak. The prosecutor commenced by examining how he pleaded responsible to aiding and abetting murder by kid abuse a few of months back.

Austin Robinson testified about how he and the defendant wanted to grow their loved ones through adoption and how Tori and her two older brothers moved into their residence about two months right after his spouse returned from her look on the Food stuff Network exhibit “Worst Cooks in America.”

Robinson testified that his wife would self-discipline Tori with a variety of belts or a wooden paddle when she was triggered by Tori’s feeding on patterns.

“Sometimes I’d acquire a piece of (her) foods just to enable her out,” Robinson testified.

He testified about the final discussion he had with Tori.

“She was laying on the bed,” Robinson testified. “She explained to me she loved me and I explained ‘I really like you also.’ I stated, ‘I assure this will not occur all over again.’ She claimed ‘Okay.’”

Testimony started with pictures from inside the Robinsons’ property wherever initially responders located Tori unresponsive. The prosecution called a previous sergeant with the Greenville County Forensic Division to the stand. Jonathan Hamilton, now a deputy coroner, testified about going to the Robinson family’s household to observe up on what had turn into an investigation into a circumstance of boy or girl abuse or neglect.

The state’s next witness of the working day was Beau Givens, with the Simpsonville Fireplace Division, who testified that he responded to a phone about a drowning at the Robinsons’ dwelling. Givens said he arrived to see a colleague performing CPR on the youngster and then took more than with the chest compressions.

Givens reported while he was tending to Tori, Robinson said Robinson claimed that Tori had been continually ingesting drinking water right before heading limp.

As endeavours continued to revive Tori, Givens testified that some of her clothes experienced to be taken out, which then revealed the extent of bruising of her physique.

Givens testified that Robinson volunteered an clarification by expressing that Tori’s 7-calendar year-outdated brother has anger challenges and hits her.

“When she reported that, that is when I bought worried this is terrible,” Givens.

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

“I really don’t treatment if you give the kid a ball bat,” Givens claimed. “He’s not likely to be equipped to do this a lot problems to the very little girl.”

Paramedic Ken Koller with Greenville County EMS testified about accomplishing added measures to revive Tori, who confirmed no heart action. He testified listening to Robinson attributing the bruises to her more mature brother. Koller testified the accidents appeared additional consistent with what an grownup would inflict.

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

The prosecution named Jaime Anderson-Pearson, a retail store supervisor with the CVS in Simpsonville, to the stand. Anderson-Pearson testified about a ask for from law enforcement for surveillance video clip that captured Austin Robinson’s stop by to the store.

MONDAY

In a pretrial motion on Monday, a choose dominated to permit two of a few physique digicam films from the day of Smith’s dying to be performed in courtroom. The Robinsons’ protection legal professional did not want the movies admitted in courtroom due to the fact he claimed Ariel Robinson was not examine her Miranda rights ahead of statements she manufactured in the films.

Immediately after jury assortment wrapped up, opening statements started all around 2:15 p.m. Fifteen jurors – a few of them alternates – have been seated in the case.

“You’ll listen to the devastating principle of events that go from Tori trying to consume some pancakes to a kid overwhelmed to a pulp,” reported prosecutor Christy Sustakovich.

Prosecutors mentioned Jerry “Austin” Robinson will testify in the demo about the beating they say led to Tori’s dying.

“You’ll hear how Austin Robinson walked into the household and sees Ariel keeping a belt previously mentioned Tori,” Sustakovich reported. “He suggests ‘Ariel, you have absent far too significantly. You have gone as well considerably this time.’”

The child endured interior bleeding in her legs, images of which have been ruled admissible in courtroom.

William Bouton, Robinson’s defense lawyer, urged the jury not to rush to judgment. He claimed his 30-12 months-outdated shopper is a previous center college teacher with a master’s degree from Clemson University. Bouton reported the Robinsons satisfied in significant faculty, married and had two biological kids of their possess.

“These photos of this very poor baby are horrific and I get worried that you see these shots and your initial intuition is, ‘I gotta keep any individual accountable’ and that is not what your work is,” reported Bouton. “Your career is to contemplate what the proof is and make a determination that the condition has established that my shopper is the a single who dedicated this criminal offense.”

The state’s first witness was Cpl. Karlee Patrikis with the Simpsonville Police Office. The court played a recording captured by Patrikis’ physique digicam when she responded to the 911 simply call to the Robinsons’ dwelling.

In the recording, Ariel Robinson is listened to claiming that Tori’s 7-calendar year-aged brother, Jaden, who was also the Robinsons’ foster child, caused the injuries.

“She bruises actually terrible. She has sensitive pores and skin. Her brother kicks her and kicks her. He has anger troubles. He’s been in remedy for it,” Robinson says.

The second witness for the point out was Investigator Jay Weibel, who testified about having photographs of Tori in the hospital, as everyday living aid and medication kept her alive. He stated he did not believe Tori’s brother caused his sister’s accidents.

“It was learned that Jaden is a really modest baby and (with) his sizing in comparison to Tori’s…we did not truly feel that he was capable of inflicting that total of injury or injury to Victoria,” Weibel testified.

If identified responsible, Robinson could be driving bars for the rest of her existence.

Robinson’s husband pleaded responsible to aiding and abetting murder by boy or girl abuse on April 14. He will be sentenced just after Ariel Robinson’s trial.

“We are particularly grateful to the jury for their near interest and do the job on this devastating case. This jury had to see and hear factors that were being really horrific. We are very grateful for the verdict in this tragic scenario. There are no winners in a scenario like this a single. We can’t bring Tori again but she will normally are living on in our reminiscences. I have realized in these instances, the finest you can hope for is justice and the jury brought specifically that. Could sweet Victoria Rose Smith rest in everlasting peace forever.”

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