A West Virginia stepmother is facing charges after her “severely underweight” 11-year-old step-daughter died in her care after being denied food, nutrition and medical care for years.
Shannon Robinson, 51, of Grafton, has been charged with murder of a child by a parent or guardian, WDTV reported.
Authorities began investigating after first responders were called to Robinson’s home on February 16, 2025, where they found the young girl unresponsive on the kitchen floor.
The girl was wearing disposable diapers and “appeared extremely small for her age, severely underweight and malnourished,” deputies said, according to WCHS-TV.
At the time, Robinson, who is the girl’s stepmother, told investigators the 11-year-old had experienced “flu-like symptoms for approximately one week” and was wearing diapers “due to ongoing diarrhea.”
The girl was later taken to the hospital, where she was pronounced dead.
During their investigation, authorities discovered that the girl’s father had isolated her from outside contact and used food deprivation as a punishment. Deputies later determined that the girl had not received any medical care since 2020, after she began living with Robinson.
"Further investigation revealed that food deprivation was used as a method of punishment toward [the victim]," according to a police affidavit. "Witnesses stated that if [the victim] resisted or 'pushed back' against Ms. Robinson, she would be denied food or provided only minimal nourishment for extended periods, while other household members consumed full meals in her presence."
A medical examiner found the pre-teen was about 43 pounds at the time of her death and had measurements “grossly inconsistent with her age.”
She also had head lice, a yellowish tint to her skin, visible bones protruding and multiple bruises and lacerations on her extremities and torso.
Court documents revealed that investigators found the girl had been sick since the summer of 2024, with her condition worsening until she was unable to walk.
Witnesses also told deputies that Robinson felt she couldn’t take the girl to a doctor because she feared she would be reported for abuse or neglect.
While court records showed that Robinson was the girl’s primary caregiver, her biological father was also in the home and “permitted these conditions to exist,” WCHS reported. He is not facing charges as of Thursday.
Robinson was booked in the Tygart Valley Regional Jail, where she is being held without bail.
