GRAFTON, W.Va. — A Taylor County woman is in custody for allegedly allowing her stepdaughter to be malnourished to the point of death.
Taylor County Sheriff Randy Durrett said Shannon Robinson, 51, of Graton, was arrested Wednesday morning after an almost year-long investigation into the death of an 11-year-old girl who weighed just 43 pounds.
Durrett said were called to when called to a home on Nector Street in Grafton last February.
He said deputies responded to a call of an unresponsive juvenile female who was found to be severely malnourished and wearing disposable pull-ups. Durrett said Robinson was at the residence along with Aaron Moran, the juvenile’s father, and two other adults, where she initially told deputies that the juvenile had been suffering from flu-like symptoms for about a week.
The girl was then transported to Grafton City Hospital, where she was pronounced dead less than a day after she arrived. Durrett said deputies and medical professionals both noted obvious signs of malnutrition. The Taylor County Medical Examiner’s Office later determined that the juvenile was measured at just under 4 feet tall and weighed 43 pounds at the time of her death.
“The warrant for the arrest of Shannon Robinson, who’s 51 years of age, is for murder of a child by a parent, guardian, or custodian, or other person,” Durrett said Wednesday.
MORE Read criminal complaint here
Durrett said investigators also found that the juvenile had head lice and a yellowish tint to the skin, as well as multiple bruises and lacerations, along with visible bones reflecting strong signs of malnutrition. In initial conversations with deputies, Robinson allegedly claimed that the juvenile was experiencing flu-like symptoms for about a week before she collapsed inside the kitchen of the Nector Street home, she also confirmed that no medical treatment was sought during that time. Charges were filed after investigators discovered from witness testimony that Robinson and Moran allegedly used food deprivation as a method of punishment and intentionally isolated her from outside contact as her condition worsened starting as early as 2024.
“Deputy McQueen responded to a residence in Taylor County, West Virginia, for an unresponsive child, it ended up being an 11-year-old girl,” said Durrett, offering details on the initial call prompting the investigation. “Upon Deputy McQueen’s arrival, the child had succumbed and passed away.”
According to the criminal complaint, investigators determined that the juvenile began to not receive any levels of medical treatment since around 2020, about the same time as her time living with Robinson began. It was also determined that Moran allowed for the conditions to exist despite being aware of his daughter’s deteriorating state while also failing to provide medical care even as she reportedly was unable to even walk without assistance. According to multiple witnesses, this was due to concerns over being reported for child abuse or neglect. No charges have been formally filed against Moran or anyone else other than Robinson as part of the investigation.
“The deputies continued the investigation and, upon working with the Taylor County prosecuting attorney’s office, added enough evidence that time to proceed forward with a warrant for the arrest of Shannon Robinson,” said Durrett.
The investigation is ongoing.