Las Vegas Toddler Death: Father Faces Charges After Son Found in Dumpster
By TheNevadaGlobeStaff, June 12, 2024 12:36 pm
Las Vegas police have charged Jacoby Robinson Sr. with child abuse and neglect following the discovery of his two-year-old son, Jacoby Robinson Jr., dead in a dumpster on June 7th. The boy’s mother, Diaja Smith, was previously arrested on charges of open murder and child abuse.
The investigation into the toddler’s death revealed conflicting stories from both parents. Smith claimed she lost the boy at a park, but police found no evidence to support this. Separately, a background check revealed Smith had a history of child protective services involvement.
Robinson, initially uncooperative, eventually admitted to a long-term relationship with Smith and having five children together. He also revealed concerns about Smith’s past treatment of the victim, alleging she used belts and charging cords for discipline. Robinson claimed to witness Smith hitting the boy on the morning of June 6th but didn’t report it.
Further inconsistencies emerged when Robinson denied any knowledge of the child being missing or his involvement with the events of June 7th. Police found surveillance footage showing both parents leaving their residence together that evening. Robinson later changed his story, claiming a walk “to talk” and denying any knowledge of his son’s death.
However, Robinson ultimately confessed to seeing Smith “go overboard disciplining” the boy in the past and admitted to performing CPR on the deceased child, though not informing police initially.
Both parents remain in custody. Robinson has a preliminary hearing scheduled for July 25th. This tragic case highlights the importance of child protection services and the dangers of domestic violence within families.
This is a developing story. Check back for updates.
Source: Fox5Vegas
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