Terrie Robinson

Case record: Terrie Robinson

Terrie Robinson was a 25-year-old woman who pleaded guilty to the murder of her son, 3-year-old Tristan Robinson.

Background

Tristan Robinson was found at his mother’s apartment in Greenville. During the investigation, authorities removed “another child, a little girl,” from the home and placed her in the care of the Mississippi Department of Human Services.

The offence

Robinson admitted she put her son in the oven while he was still alive. Washington County Coroner Methel Johnson said officers found Tristan’s toddler’s nude body in the oven and that he had severe burns. Johnson also said Tristan sustained some trauma to his head.

Johnson said at the scene that she “called to the scene” at Robinson’s first floor apartment in Greenville about 12:32 a.m. after officers found the toddler’s nude body in the oven. Although the toddler was pronounced dead when Johnson arrived, Johnson said he had actually died a few hours earlier. Johnson said:

“He hadn’t been deceased that long,” Johnson said then. “The actual time of his death was probably around 10 p.m., but I pronounced him after I arrived around 1:02 a.m.”

Johnson later said he “sustained some trauma to his head” and initially said she’d “hope Tristan died from head injuries prior to being placed in the oven.” Autopsy results a few days later proved otherwise. Johnson said:

“His cause of death was thermal injury as the result of the heat from the stove,” an emotional Johnson said. “We can not relate if he was conscience or unconscious at the time or not. But the head injury may have indirectly or directly come from him rolling over in the oven.”

Investigation

Washington County Coroner Methel Johnson said a pathologist was still trying to determine if 3-year-old Tristan Robinson was conscious when he was put inside the oven, and that he appeared to have suffered trauma to his head.

Authorities said Tristan’s body was still warm when it was removed from the oven.

Arrest

Robinson was charged with murder. At the time of the investigation, Greenville city judge Michael Prewitt set her bond at $5 million.

Trial

Robinson appeared in front of Judge Ashley Hines in Washington County Circuit Court, where she entered a plea of guilty in the murder of her son, 3-year-old Tristan Robinson.

Sentencing

Robinson was sentenced to life in prison on April 11, 2012.

Other details

Robinson’s twin sister, Sherrie Robinson, spoke to WXVT and said:

“Do not sit there and call her a bad mom ‘cause that’s not what she is,” Sherrie Robinson told WXVT.”

Sherrie Robinson also said people should not judge Robinson before all the facts were known, and said:

“She was a great parent, a good person. We don't know what's wrong. We don't know what happened. Do not sit there and call her a bad mom cause that's not what she is,” Sherrie Robinson told the TV station.

Methel Johnson said:

“This is a really sad moment for me. I've seen a lot of things, but this is one that will stick in my memory for a long, long time,” Johnson said then.

Johnson also said:

“I've seen a lot of things in my years doing this, but nothing like this,” Johnson said. “I just thought about my grandchildren.”