Ariel Robinson, a Food Network contestant accused of murdering her foster daughter in their home, was found guilty of homicide by child abuse by a Greenville, South Carolina judge on Thursday afternoon, local reports said.
In January 2021, officers arrested Ariel Robinson, 30, and her husband, Jerry “Austin” Robinson, 35, and charged them with homicide by child abuse following the death of their 3-year-old foster daughter, Victoria “Tori” Rose Smith, Greenville County records show. Austin pleaded guilty last month to aiding and abetting homicide by child abuse.
The judge engaged in a long and careful consideration for almost two hours before finally reaching a verdict following a four-day trial. Robinson was found guilty and sentenced to life in jail, FOX Carolina reported.
Last year, Smith died as a result of blunt force injuries, according to the Greenville County Coroner’s Office following a medical examination.
On Thursday, Ariel took the witness stand and broke into tears when she was asked what it was like to live with Smith. The “Worst Cooks in America” season 20 winner described the 3-year-old as “a perfect child” who was easy to get along with, according to the outlet.
Prosecutors argued that Ariel and her husband beat Smith to death on Jan. 14, 2021, when responding officers discovered the girl unresponsive in their home. Dr. Michael Ward, a forensic pathologist, testified on Wednesday that the 3-year-old victim was beaten with such force that her blood vessels burst, allowing blood to collect in her muscles and fat, which could have led to her death, FOX Carolina reported.
“If we lose enough blood, the heart doesn’t have enough volume to pump,” Ward said.
Austin previously told investigators on Jan. 13, 2021, that the fatal beating occurred after Smith suddenly began to vomit on the way to a church service, and Ariel became angry at the child.
Two witnesses, Jean Smith and Avery Santiago, testified on Wednesday that they saw Ariel in the church bathroom cleaning the girl’s dress in a sink. Smith said she asked Ariel whether the child was sick, and Ariel apparently told her that the child “eats too much and makes herself throw up,” calling it “a game.”
Santiago testified that she heard Ariel say to Smith, “‘Oh, you’re cold. You’re cold. Girls that make themselves throw up deserve to be cold,’” according to FOX Carolina.
“I was frustrated,” Ariel said Thursday when asked about the church incident.
Austin took the witness stand on Tuesday and testified that Ariel would often get angry with Smith’s eating habits and beat the child with belts or a wooden paddle.
“Sometimes I’d take a piece of (her) food just to help her out,” Austin testified, FOX Carolina reported.
According to Deadline, Airel, a former teacher, received $25,000 upon winning the Food Network competition, which pits amateur cooks against each other in a series of cooking challenges overseen by celebrity chefs.
A petition on Change.org with nearly 46,000 signatures calls for South Carolina lawmakers to pass a bill called Victoria’s Law that will reform “the current screening process to become not only an adoptive parent but as a foster parent as well.”
“We want there to be frequent non-scheduled home visits to the foster and adoptive parents and even after adoptions are finalized,” the petition’s description states.”We want Guardian Ad Litem’s and case workers [sic] to talk privately with children in these homes so that they have the chance to ask for help if they need it.”
In a Twitter thread posted on Jan 6., Robinson said that while her Black and White children were treated the same in her house, it will “not be the case” when they go out into the real world.
“It’s a shame that as a proud mom to 4 beautiful boys, I can’t protect them from the reality and evil of this world once they leave the house. However, I will fight and use my voice to make a difference. To bring awareness and change so that one day, that change will come,” she continued. “I’m a Mama Bear, & I’ll do anything to protect my children & make sure their futures are equally bright [because] they have the same opportunities & are treated as equals the way God made them. There should be no #whiteprivilege only American privilege. #EqualityforAll #BlackLivesMatte[r].”
