A West Virginia stepmother has been arrested and charged with murder after authorities say her 11-year-old stepdaughter died following years of severe neglect and starvation.
Court records show Shannon Faith Robinson, 51, was taken into custody Wednesday and charged with murder of a child by a parent or guardian for refusing or failing to supply necessities.
According to a probable cause affidavit, deputies with the Taylor County Sheriff’s Office responded around 8:40 p.m. on Feb. 16, 2025, to a call from emergency medical services about an unresponsive juvenile at a home in the 200 block of Nector Street in Grafton.
When deputies arrived, they found the child lying on the kitchen floor as EMS attempted lifesaving measures. Investigators said the girl appeared extremely small for her age, severely underweight, and malnourished. She was wearing disposable pull-ups and was not breathing or responsive.
The victim’s father was kneeling beside her, while Robinson—identified as the child’s primary caregiver—was seated nearby. Robinson told authorities the girl had been experiencing flu-like symptoms for about a week but said no medical treatment had been sought.
The child was transported to Grafton City Hospital, where she was pronounced dead at 9:32 p.m.
Investigators later learned from other household members that the child had been ill for an extended period and was kept in diapers due to ongoing diarrhea. An autopsy revealed the girl weighed just 43 pounds, a weight the medical examiner said was grossly inconsistent with her age.
The report described head lice, a yellowish tint to the skin, extreme thinness with bones visibly protruding, and multiple bruises and lacerations across her body. The final autopsy concluded the child died from bilateral, diffuse, acute bronchopneumonia, with failure to thrive listed as a contributing factor. Her height and weight were both well below the fifth percentile for her age and sex.
Interviews with family and friends allegedly revealed the victim had been kept isolated from the outside world. Witnesses told detectives the child’s health had visibly declined since mid-2024, eventually leaving her unable to walk without assistance and sleeping most of the day.
Despite the obvious deterioration, investigators said Robinson and the child’s father refused to seek medical care because they feared being reported for abuse or neglect. Records showed the girl had not seen a doctor since 2020, shortly after she began living with Robinson.
The affidavit also alleges that food deprivation was used as punishment.
“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,” investigators wrote, adding that other household members ate full meals in the child’s presence.
Robinson is being held without bond at the Tygart Valley Regional Jail. It was not immediately clear when she would make her first court appearance.
The victim’s father has not been charged in connection with the child’s death.
