On Tuesday, the mother and father of seven children, aged four to sixteen, were sentenced to prison in Pennsylvania. They were also ordered not to communicate with their children until they reached the age of 18 and only with the consent of a court-appointed therapist.
This decision was made months after they pleaded guilty to a case involving a trailer house of horrors. In this case, caged animals were treated more humanely, and one exotic Tegu lizard was fed salmon on its own TikTok account. Prosecutors claim that all but one of the children were malnourished.
Shane Robertson, 48, and Crystal Robertson, 38, will be sentenced to state prison for a period of eight to 16 years in connection with the felony child endangerment and animal neglect case, which also involved allegations of assault, according to the Bucks County District Attorney’s Office.
In April 2023, the Pennridge Regional Police Department received a report regarding two girls who were observed straying outside of their Green Top Trailer Park residence in Sellersville, entering an abandoned trailer, and stealing items. This was the beginning of the case.
MAN FOUND STABBED TO DEATH in Penn Hills Residence; Investigation Underway
Upon arrival, the authorities discovered that seven children, six girls and one boy, were residing in unsanitary conditions surrounded by animals. None of the children had received formal education, and six of the children were “clinically malnourished.”
Additionally, numerous children were ill or in need of care, with two of them testing positive for COVID-19, two having “low kidney function,” three suffering from “fevers and […] Acute Viral Syndrome,” several having “poor eyesight,” and one with a “dangerous abscess in his mouth” and “13 visible cavities.”
It was discovered that none of the seven children had received any formal education, and they all lacked fundamental knowledge over the following week. Some of the infants were unaware of their own birthdates. Investigators reported that four of the children have speech impediments. “All of the children experience difficulty with reading, writing, and spelling.” They all demonstrated social anxiety and disclosed that they disliked being in public or around others.
The Robertsons were contacted by the police after speaking with the wandering girls, and they arrived at the scene within a half hour. According to the affidavit, the parents consented to allow the officers to inspect the residence upon their arrival.
The affidavit stated that Crystal Robertson had to install a refrigerator lock because the children were “stealing” so much food and referred to them as “garbage disposals with legs.” “Officers discovered that the refrigerator was secured with a bicycle lock upon entering the trailer.” Additionally, the trailer’s interior was evidently in a state of disarray and neglect.
Mother, Boyfriend, and Dog Owner Arrested After Shackled CHILD BITTEN BY PIT BULL in Ohio
Police reported that JV1, a 16-year-old girl, “appeared unkempt” when she emerged from her room at her father’s request. The father of the girl purportedly informed the police that the adolescent was his final daughter, even though he had three additional daughters and a son.
The appalling conditions in the home, which included the parents’ bed being surrounded by animal enclosures, were detailed by the authorities from this point.
“In the room where Shane and Crystal slept, there was a bed in the center of the room, surrounded by numerous animal cages.” It appeared that the linens on the bed had not been laundered in several weeks or months. Court documents stated that the walls were punctured and there were items of debris on the floor. “The back bedroom, which was adjacent to Shane and Crystal’s bedroom, was blocked off by a malfunctioning washing machine.” The floor was littered with refuse and dirty clothing, and the chamber lacked a door.
“The floor in front of the entrance of the third bedroom was covered in feces.” A soiled blanket was placed on an unclean mattress that was situated in the center of the room. The affidavit continued, “Your Affiant also discovered feces on the blanket while photographing this room.” “This room also contained approximately two dozen rats, which were housed in two distinct cages.”
The police asserted that they did not discover any cleansing products in the residence that were contaminated with animal excrement.
“The home’s occupants were also deprived of soap, toothpaste, and any other hygienic products in the bathroom,” the authorities reported. “The oven appeared to have never been cleaned, and the cabinets were in a state of disrepair.”
Crystal Robertson “fell through the floor” in front of her bedroom door a few months prior, according to the affidavit’s account of what she told investigators, due to the trailer home’s dilapidated condition.
In addition to the approximately two dozen rodents, the investigators discovered “two dogs, two turtles, two rabbits, snakes, toads, and a four-foot reptile known as a Tegu” inside the residence, according to the documents. Authorities claimed that the Robertsons treated their animals better than their children, as evidenced by the malnourishment of the children and the apparent scarcity of food in the family’s locked refrigerator. Common Pleas Judge Charissa J. Liller concurred, describing them as “two of the worst parents I have ever seen in my life.”.
The DA’s office reports that the judge stated during the sentencing process, “It is appalling that you would live in these conditions with your seven children.” “You treated your animals with more respect than you did your children.” You confined them in cages as if they were animals, but you were not treating them with as much respect.
Prosecutors underscored that Crystal Robertson established a TikTok account for a Tegu named Boudin and that she fed the reptile “chunks of salmon” in recordings while her children were neglected.
“In an additional video, she was observed brushing the lizard’s teeth.” “In other instances, the lizard was dressed in costumes and visiting the Easter Bunny,” the prosecutors observed.
According to prosecutors, the Robertsons prioritized the welfare of themselves and their animals over their children’s welfare. Although the psychological repercussions of this decision will endure for a lifetime, the children are currently in the custody of Bucks County Children and Youth Social Services and are making progress.