Pennsylvania parents sentenced to prison for forcing 7 kids to live in ‘nightmarish conditions’ with little food
After a terrifying investigation, Shane and Crystal Robertson of West Rockhill Township, Pennsylvania, were found guilty of animal neglect and endangering the welfare of children. The couple’s run-down trailer, which was missing basic essentials like toothpaste, soap, and cleaning supplies, was called a “nightmarish” place to live.
The Robertsons were ordered to undergo drug abuse treatment and mental health evaluations in addition to receiving a sentence ranging from 8 to 16 years in prison. In addition, they are not allowed to communicate with their kids until they are adults and can only do so with a court-appointed therapist’s permission.
The couple’s behavior was denounced by the case’s judge, Charissa Liller, who referred to them as “two of the worst parents I’ve ever seen.” Liller noted that the Robertsons treated their animals better than their own children and expressed shock and dismay at the conditions under which the children were made to live.
Police responded to a report of two children stealing items from an abandoned trailer, which prompted the start of the Robertson investigation. Officers found that the kids were undernourished and ill-groomed when they arrived at the scene. The kids explained that their parents didn’t have the money to take care of their rats, so they went into the trailer to get a blanket for them.
Police discovered a filthy scene when they went to the Robertson family’s residence. The trailer had a broken floor, holes in the walls and doors, and was filthy. The children’s clothes were worn and soiled, and there was animal feces all over the house.
The couple later acknowledged having seven children, despite their initial claim to have only three. It was discovered that six of the kids were clinically malnourished, and many more had multiple medical conditions, such as COVID-19, vision, and dental issues.
The Robertsons had locked the refrigerator with a bicycle lock and retained the key, according to the prosecution. It was reported that Crystal Robertson called the kids “garbage disposals” and that they were made to “steal food” from the refrigerator.
In addition, the kids had no education and no basic information, not even knowing their own birthdays. They conveyed a fear of being in public and displayed symptoms of social anxiety.
Numerous animals, including dogs, turtles, rabbits, snakes, toads, a lizard, and dozens of rats, were discovered to be owned by the Robertsons. The only food in the trailer, according to the prosecutors, was for the animals.
Prosecutors showed TikTok videos from the lizard’s account in court, showing Crystal Robertson giving it special attention—feeding it salmon, cleaning its teeth, and dressing it up in costumes, among other things.
Brittney Kern, the deputy district attorney, maintained that the Robertsons had put their own needs and the welfare of their animals ahead of those of their kids.
The children were placed under the care of Bucks County Children and Youth Social Services, and the animals were turned over to the Bucks County Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals. Prosecutors claimed that even with the trauma they experienced, the kids have improved since leaving the abusive home. The psychological ramifications of their experience, however, should last a lifetime.
