Food Network star “America’s Worst Cooks” found guilty of child abuse murder

It took jurors from Greenville County, South Carolina just over an hour to find former Food Network star Ariel Robinson guilty in a murder case related to child abuse.

The verdict ended a four-day trial that included testimony from Robinson and his wife, as well as graphic images of the injuries inflicted on 3-year-old Victoria “Tori” Smith.

Judge Leticia Verdin said Robinson, 30, was sentenced to life in prison. Her husband is awaiting sentencing.

soon: Winner of the former Food Network The worst cooks in America The reality show contestant is expected to testify in the South Carolina murder trial Thursday.

Ariel Robinson is charged with the murder of 3-year-old Victoria “Tori” Smith due to child abuse. The boy was supervised by Robinson and his wife in the fostering program.

Prosecution suspended the case on Wednesday. Before doing so, the jury listened on Tuesday from Austin Robinson, Ariel Robinson’s husband. With tears in his eyes, he described the alleged abuse of a child by his wife. He pleaded guilty to aiding and abetting murder for child abuse.

He said his wife used a belt on Smith because the girl wasn’t eating pancakes fast enough. The boy suffered severe bruises and later died from internal injuries sustained during the beating.

Austin Robinson said that on the day of the beating he heard his wife yelling at the girl and heard Smith beating her even though she was in their yard. He claimed that her confession was obtained through torture and that her confession was obtained through torture. He said the beating probably lasted about an hour.

Attorney Bill Button tried to overturn Austin Robinson’s testimony and forced him to admit that he often lied to his wife during their 14 years of marriage. He admitted he lied when he told her he graduated from high school and later got a GED, too while he was throwing a party to celebrate. He also negotiated the loss of his job twice and fixed things without telling his wife.

Austin Robinson faces 10 to 20 years in prison and will be sentenced at the end of the trial. Murder as a result of violence against a child is punishable by up to 25 years of imprisonment.

The jury also saw camera footage of the body taken Wednesday when the first defendants arrived at the scene on the day of the incident. The footage shows the unresponsive boy on the bedroom floor covered in bruises.

The footage showed Ariel Robinson accusing Smith and himself of partially performing CPR incorrectly. He also blamed Smith’s older brother for the bruises.

“He’ll hit him with his shoes, find one of Austin’s belts, a coat rack. “All around is because he’s angry,” Ariel Robinson said in the camera footage shown Wednesday.

The Greenville County chief medical examiner told the court that his dissection showed far greater damage than Ariel Robinson claimed.

“This is not what we consider traditional skin bruises. “It’s a serious, deep injury that runs through tissue,” said Dr. Michael Ward.

Another witness, an intensive care pediatric doctor, said the injuries he saw on Smith were the worst.

“It is extensive, depending on the child’s body, that he has repeatedly had blunt force trauma, which is the worst I’ve ever seen in my life,” said Dr Christina Goben.

The defense is expected to rest tomorrow and hand the case over to a jury at noon.

Ariel Robinson was the winner of Food Network’s 20th season The worst cooks in America. When news of his arrest broke, the network removed episodes of his competition from all platforms.