The season 20 winner of the Food Network’s show, Worst Cooks in America and BLM supporter, Ariel S. Robinson, and her husband were taken into police custody on January 19 in South Carolina. They were charged with homicide by child abuse for the alleged murder of their 3-year-old adopted daughter, Victoria Smith.
After further investigation by law enforcement, they determined that Smith’s death was due to physical abuse. The medical examination showed that it was due to repeated blunt force trauma to her head.
Smith was taken to the hospital on January 14 after the police found her unresponsive in their parent’s home according to WHNS, she later died of her injuries.
They are both being held at the Greenville County Detention Center without bond. If found guilty, both Robinson and her husband, Jerry A. Robinson, could face 20 years to life in prison.
Ariel Robinson was also a local middle school teacher for three years, but she stopped teaching in 2019. The South Carolina Board of Education suspended her teacher’s license on January 21 in light of the charges.
The suspension document said, “The SCDE has reason to believe that, due to the serious nature of this allegation of misconduct, Ms. Robinson may pose a threat to the health, safety, and welfare of students who may be under her instruction, and that emergency action is required. After considering the evidence presented by the SCDE, the chair of the state board finds that Ms. Robinson’s educator certificate shall be summarily suspended until a due process hearing is held and/or this matter is otherwise resolved,”
The Food Network has also removed the season Robinson was featured in across all of their online media platforms.
