GRAFTON, W.Va. — A Taylor County grand jury has indicted a Grafton woman for allegedly allowing an 11-year-old girl to die in her care.
Shannon Robinson, 51, was indicted on Tuesday for one count of murder of a child by a guardian or custodian for the failure to supply the necessities of life after an investigation by the Taylor County Sheriff’s Office that began back in February 2025.
The indictment comes less than a week after Robinson’s arrest.
According to court documents, first responders were first called to the Grafton home on Feb. 16, 2025, where the girl was allegedly found on the kitchen floor of Robinson’s home unresponsive, severely underweight, not breathing, and wearing disposable pull ups.
Robinson, who was the girl’s stepmother, allegedly told deputies the girl had been experiencing “flu-like symptoms for approximately a week prior to the incident.” It was later determined that the girl had not received any medical care since 2020, not long after she began living with Robinson.
A medical examiner’s report showed that the girl weighed approximately 43 pounds and was 47 inches tall at the time of her death. The report also noted head lice, a yellowish tint to the girl’s skin, bones visibly protruding and multiple bruises and lacerations on her extremities and torso.
According to investigators, witnesses told deputies that the girl had been sick since the summer of 2024 to the point where she was unable to walk without assistance. It was also found that Robinson refused to take the girl to a doctor because she feared she would be reported for child abuse or neglect.
Witnesses also stated that Robinson allegedly starved the child as a form of discipline while other members of the household had full meals in her presence.
The girl’s father was also confirmed to have been living in the home during that timeframe, no word on whether he is facing charges at this time.
Robinson is currently in the Tygart Valley Regional Jail with no bond set at this time.