Mother in Simpsonville, South Carolina, accused of killing her 3-year-old adopted daughter Victoria ‘Tori’ Rose Smith bail was denied on Friday by a Greenville County judge.
Ariel Shnise Robinson, who is accused of child abuse homicide, and his lawyer Willliam Innes Bouton appeared before the judge Letitia Verdin Friday in a virtual hearing to request bail.
Verdin said he denied the request based on the seriousness of the charges. She said she thought Ariel Robinson was a flight hazard and a danger to the community.
It was revealed in court on Friday that Ariel and her husband Jerry Austin Robinson, who is also charged with child abuse homicide, had not yet officially adopted Tori – she was technically in the process of taking care of her and her two brothers until the adoption was due to be finalized last month.
At the bond hearing, Victoria’s birth mother Casey Phares asked the judge to deny bail and said they are devastated by the death of their daughter.
Details revealed in the case
Assistant Lawyer Christy Sustakovitch revealed frightening details of the case – details that were drafted in the police report.
Sustakovitch said Ariel Robinson told firefighters that Tori had drowned from drinking too much water when they arrived on January 14.
Jerry Robinson made the icy call to 911 around 2 pm on January 14. He said his daughter drank a lot of water and they were trying to CPR her.
After the firefighters arrived on the scene, they saw bruises all over Tori’s body – on his ear, face and both legs, said Sustakovitch.
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When Ariel Robinson spoke with police at the scene, she said that Tori had vomited the night before when they went to church, according to Sustakovitch. Robinson told the police that she had no real problems with her went to bed.
According to Ariel Robinson’s account, Tori was eating the next morning when Jerry Robinson gave him water. Tori told her parents that her stomach hurt and that she was cold.
She gave Tori a heated blanket and at some point, Tori started to choke, Sustakovitch said at the hearing.
Then Ariel Robinson said that she did the heimlich maneuver on Tori, according to Sustakovitch. When that didn’t work, Ariel Robinson pressed her belly and told her husband to call 911. She said they had cardiopulmonary resuscitation until the firefighters arrived on the scene and took over.
When asked about bruises, Ariel Robinson told police that she was pushing hard to do CPR and the heimlich maneuver.
The police then asked about the bruises on his head and legs. Ariel Robinson blamed Tori’s biological brother and said he had anger issues, according to Sustakovitch.
Victoria “Tori” Rose Smith was pronounced dead in the hospital on January 14. The coroner said she died of blunt trauma.
The detective then asked the brother’s director about the charges and she said he was a happy child, with no signs of physical abuse against anyone.
After Jerry and Ariel Robinson were arrested on January 19, Jerry made a statement to prosecutors, Sustakovitch said at the hearing.
Jerry Austin Robinson told authorities that he never hurt Tori. He said Ariel Robinson beat the 3-year-old boy with a belt, paddle and other objects.
Ariel Robinson’s husband said he was outside when the beating occurred, but when he came in and saw Tori’s body, he looked at his wife and said “you’ve gone too far”.
Jerry Robinson said they bathed Tori with Epsom salts and he went to the store to buy medicine around 1 pm before returning and calling 911, according to his statement to the authorities.
Ariel Robinson did not speak at the hearing. His lawyer argued that he has a clean criminal record, has been a longtime resident in South Carolina and has a master’s degree from Clemson University. She was a public school teacher until 2019 and a member of the PTA.
Jerry Robinson, 34, requested a bail hearing last week, but withdrew his request earlier this week.
National news
In the wake of the tragedy, Smith’s biological family publicly pressed for reform of the South Carolina Department of Social Services (SCDSS).
More than 30,000 people signed a petition asking state lawmakers to reform the SCDSS – an agency marked by scandals and whose shortcomings are now in the national spotlight.
Ariel Robinson is best known for winning the 20th season of “Worst Cooks in America” on the Food Network in August.
Ariel Robinson faces life imprisonment on the charge.
To report child abuse in South Carolina, call 1-888-CARE-4-US or use this online portal.
This story will be updated.
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