Jury: Food Network’s Ariel Robinson guilty in foster child’s death

GREENVILLE, S.C. (AP) — The winner of a Food items Community cooking exhibit competition has been discovered guilty in the beating demise past 12 months of a 3-12 months-outdated foster baby in her care.

The jury deliberated for about an hour right before providing the unanimous verdict Thursday versus Ariel Robinson, 30, of Simpsonville, information shops reported. She produced no comment before Choose Letitia Verdin sentenced her to lifestyle in jail on a demand of homicide by little one abuse.

“In my 13-14 a long time as a decide, I’ve hardly ever witnessed something like this,” Verdin claimed. ”Not even approaching it.”

Verdin acknowledged Robinson’s attorney’s statement that his client snapped but questioned, “Why enable this boy or girl suffer?”

Victoria “Tori” Smith died Jan. 14, 2021, in Robinson’s home following struggling blows to her legs and stomach for the reason that she did not try to eat her pancakes fast plenty of. The baby died from blunt force accidents and internal bleeding, officials claimed.

Robinson was the winner of Year 20 of “Worst Cooks in America” on Meals Network.

The child’s organic relatives cried and hugged one yet another following court docket was dismissed.

“Praise God,” mentioned Vickie Phares, the toddler’s organic excellent-grandmother. “Justice was served for our toddler.”

Robinson and her spouse, Austin Robinson, experienced custody of the minor woman and her two older organic brothers for 10 months and have been scheduled to adopt them the 7 days following Victoria died.

Austin Robinson pleaded responsible to aiding and abetting murder by little one abuse very last month. He faces up to 20 several years in jail. A sentencing date has not been scheduled.

He testified that his wife conquer the boy or girl with a belt. Healthcare evidence confirmed she died when blood pooled in her system and could not get to her mind.