Authorities in North Carolina continue to investigate the death of a 6-year-old girl, allegedly at the hands of her court-appointed guardian, Us Weekly has learned.
Susan Lee Robinson, 61, was arrested on Saturday, December 20, and formally charged with one count of intentional child abuse resulting in serious physical injury, a felony, and four counts of child abuse, which is a misdemeanor.
Robinson, who is a ward of the court, was appointed to serve as the little girl’s guardian in 2024. Instead, detectives allege that the girl was mistreated by Robinson, who had denied her food and at times, kept her restrained. Robinson also allegedly forced the child to live in a dog crate and would allegedly punish the girl for stealing food.
The victim’s name has been withheld by investigators.
Police said that Robinson’s home was unfit for living, claiming it was filled with human and animal waste, and infested by both roaches and rats. Authorities allege that the girl’s body, which weighed only 27 pounds, had a number of bite marks caused by the rodents.
She also had several wounds on her genitals and buttocks caused by a rash that developed from prolonged exposure to urine- and feces-filled diapers. The victim also had broken bones in both of her arms, healed ligature scars around her wrists, and burns on various parts of her little body.
Robinson had been tasked with the child’s care more than a year and a half ago, according to WCNC, who was in court last week for her first appearance. Robinson held her head down in court as she was formally charged and the prosecutor talked about the abuse of the child, reported WSOC-TV.
Arrest warrants have been issued for two other adults, according to WSOC-TV. Both people are accused of abusing the same girl, but they continue to elude capture.
A judge has also barred Robinson from having any contact with any of the other children who were living in her home. She also can’t speak with either of her codefendants or anyone under the age of 18.
Robinson has her next court date set for January 9, 2026. Officials have not ruled out additional charges in this case as their probe continues.
Robinson is being held without bond. She has not yet been asked to enter pleas to the charges she faces, and information about her defense attorney was unavailable at press time.
Us Weekly called the state’s Department of Social Services for comment Monday but had not heard back by press time.
Anyone who may have any information that may be pertinent to this case is asked to contact the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department’s Homicide Division at (704) 432-8477.
If you suspect child abuse, please call the Childhelp National Child Abuse Hotline at 1-800-4-A-Child or 1-800-422-4453, or visit ChildHelp.org. All calls are toll-free and confidential, and the hotline is available 24/7 in more than 170 languages.
