A U.K. woman was convicted of murdering her 3-year-old son and is sentenced to at least 25 years in prison.
Christina Robinson, 30, denied the murder of her toddler, Dwelaniyah, in 2022. However, this week a jury unanimously found she caused fatal injuries to him, as stated in a Durham Constabulary news release.
The release dated May 24 explained that Dwelaniyah died from a head injury, which could have only resulted from violent shaking or being thrown against an object. Furthermore, authorities discovered evidence of a prior head injury which occurred several days before he died.
However, head trauma wasn’t the only harm inflicted on Dwelaniyah by his mother, according to police.
The young boy had over 60 burn marks across his body, with severe burns on his lower half, believed to have been inflicted up to three weeks before his death.
Police believe these burns were caused by “submerging him in a bath of boiling water,” after which Robinson failed to seek medical treatment for the child.
Instead, she searched for medical advice online and bought bandages, leaving Dwelaniyah to endure his burns alone.
For about two weeks post the burn incident, a “whimpering” noise was reportedly heard from Robinson’s residence in Ushaw Moor, County Durham, said the Durham Constabulary.
As Dwelaniyah suffered ongoing abuse, Robinson fabricated a “web of lies” to conceal his injuries, including on the day he died.
On November 5, 2022, she dialed for an ambulance, alleging that Dwelaniyah had choked on a sandwich and was unresponsive. Yet, no signs of choking were found, and her phone records indicated she delayed calling for help for nearly 20 minutes after he collapsed.
Dwelaniyah was taken to a nearby hospital but died shortly after arrival.
Further proof of Robinson’s deceit and maltreatment was discovered in her home, including a cane stained with her toddler’s blood, according to police.
Police also suspect that before his death, Dwelaniyah consumed some pills from her kitchen and vomited them, yet Robinson again chose not to seek medical help. Instead, she messaged someone on WhatsApp stating the toddler would “get what he deserves.”
Robinson’s communications also disclosed that she frequently left Dwelaniyah and his younger sibling alone at home for hours, police reported.
In court, Robinson admitted to caning Dwelaniyah as part of her religious practices but denied causing his death or other injuries, as per the BBC.
In her court statement, Robinson told jurors, “I did not kill my child in any way. No matter how the prosecution frames it or how anyone imagines it, the truth remains I did not kill my child.”
“I maintain this truth and will always uphold it,” she continued, according to the BBC. “I look forward to the day when true justice is served.”
Commenting on the case, Durham Constabulary’s Detective Chief Inspector Simon Turner remarked, “Dwelaniyah was a defenseless little boy with his whole life ahead, tragically taken by his own mother – a person who should have been his protector and caregiver.”
“We may never understand why or what drove Christina Robinson to commit such acts,” Turner added. “Her actions are beyond forgiveness, and while nothing can bring Dwelaniyah back, she is now being held accountable for her deeds.”
