The Worst Cooks in America winner accused of beating her adopted daughter to death claims the little girl drowned after drinking too much water and that bruises found on the three-year-old’s body were the result of a botched Heimlich maneuver she performed in a bid to save her.
Ariel Robinson, 29, and her husband Jerry, 34, have both been charged with homicide by child abuse over the death of toddler Victoria Rose Smith in Simpsonville, North Carolina on January 14.
A coroner determined that Victoria died from blunt force trauma, with police claiming that the Robinsons committed ‘child abuse by inflicting a series of injuries, which resulted in the death of the victim.’
At the time of her death, Victoria had deep purple bruising on her abdomen, back and legs, as well as abrasions on her face.
On Friday, Ariel Robinson appeared via video link for a hearing, where she was denied a $40,000 bond.
Ariel Robinson, 29, and her husband Jerry, 34, have both been charged with homicide by child abuse over the death of toddler Victoria Rose Smith in Simpsonville, North Carolina on January 14. Ariel and Victoria are pictured in a social media snap
Ariel and Jerry Robinson are pictured in police mugshots
‘Based on the seriousness of the charges and the egregious nature of the allegations in this case, I do find the defendant in this case is a flight risk or does pose a substantial danger to the community, most particularly to the children who are in her custody, and potentially even to herself,’ the judge stated.
During the court proceedings, prosecutors claimed that the reality TV star had told first responders on January 14 that little Victoria had drowned after drinking too much water.
Ariel claimed Victoria ‘went limp’ after ingesting an excess of liquids and she subsequently performed the Heimlich maneuver on the girl because she thought she was choking.
Ariel allegedly asked her husband, Jerry, to call 911 at the time, and began pressing down on Victoria’s chest with excessive force.
When asked about other bruises found all over the toddler’s body, Ariel allegedly blamed Victoria’s brother, who she claimed had ‘anger issues’.
However, Jerry Robinson, counters those claims and now says his wife ‘spanked and beat Victoria with different things, including a belt, paddle, flip flop or whatever’, according to WYFF4.
On the day that Victoria died, Ariel allegedly hit the girl with a belt.
On Friday, Ariel Robinson appeared via video link for a hearing, where she was denied a $40,000 bond
Ariel is best known for winning season 20 of Worst Cooks in America, and receiving a $25,000 cash prize
Ariel is best known for winning season 20 of Worst Cooks in America, and receiving a $25,000 cash prize.
She and her husband Jerry have two children of their own, before they took in Victoria and her two brothers, aged five and seven, last year.
On social media, Robinson presented a happy picture of a blended multi-racial family.
Robinson portrayed the family as being ‘complete’ and ‘diverse’. She said she was ‘invested’ in tackling systemic racism and used her blended family as a proof of it.
She gushed that the adopted kids allowed her to teach all of her children equality by parenting them the same way despite their different races.
On social media, Robinson presented a happy picture of a blended multi-racial family. Robinson portrayed the family as being happy, ‘complete’ and ‘diverse’. She said she was ‘invested’ in tackling systemic racism and used her blended family as a proof of it
Ariel and her husband Jerry have two children of their own, before they took in Victoria and her two brothers, aged five and seven, last year.
However, Victoria’s biological family now say that she and the two white brothers were being abused by the Robinsons for months and that the system ‘failed’ them.
Victoria’s biological great aunt, Michelle Urps, blames social workers for not paying proper attention to the situation.
She says she noticed possible bruises and markings on Victoria’s body in pictures Ariel had uploaded to social media.
‘I knew something was wrong by looking at her social media so why couldn’t they?’ Urps told DailyMail.com.
Victoria’s biological great aunt, Michelle Urps, blames social workers for not paying proper attention to the situation. She says she noticed possible bruises and markings on Victoria’s body in pictures Ariel had uploaded to social media
At the time of her death. Victoria had deep purple bruising on her abdomen, back and legs, as well as abrasions on her face
‘You have to question, do these case workers have the right training? Is the screening process adequate? Are they looking in the right places?’
Urps has started a petition on the Change.org website calling on state lawmakers to reform the SCDSS.
By Tuesday morning her demand for ‘Victoria’s Law’, which calls for better screening and non-scheduled visits to check how children are being treated, had attracted more than 26,000 signatures.
Ariel Robinson won a $25,000 grand prize after competing on Food Network’s Worst Cooks in America in August