Mother admits guilt in death of two kids from neglect

Marie Robinson's apartment was stocked with food and the rent was paid, but her two young children were found dead from malnutrition and dehydration nearly three years ago in what some call one of the worst child-neglect cases in recent memory.

Trembling and shifting her weight from foot to foot as she stood before King County Superior Court Judge Michael Hayden, Robinson pleaded guilty Thursday to two counts of first-degree manslaughter in connection with the November 2004 deaths of 16-month-old Justice Robinson and 6-week-old Raiden Robinson, and one count of reckless endangerment for mistreatment of a third child.

"There are very few cases like this," said Senior Deputy Prosecuting Attorney Rich Anderson. "It's tough knowing what these kids went through."

Prosecutors are recommending an exceptional sentence of 34 years for Robinson, who will be sentenced on Nov. 16. The standard sentence is 13 to 17 years.

Robinson, 39, was originally charged with two counts of second-degree murder and one count of reckless endangerment. The murder charges were reduced in exchange for Robinson's guilty plea, prosecutors said.

Robinson's two children were found dead in her Kent apartment on Nov. 14, 2004, when police were called after the children's father was unable to get a response at the home.

Police say they found Robinson passed out, surrounded by more than 300 beer cans, and with a blood-alcohol level five times the legal limit for driving.

Police found the third child, then 2 ½, emaciated but alive. The child survived the ordeal by eating from a garbage can. He is now living with a family member, prosecutors say.

Autopsies revealed that Justice and Raiden, who were chronically malnourished, died of dehydration and starvation. Investigators estimated the boys had been dead for several days before their bodies were found.

The refrigerator and pantry in the apartment were stocked with food, including frozen meals, bread, canned fruit and baby food, court papers say. There were also 11 unopened cans of infant formula, as well as disposable diapers, clean infant clothes and baby toys.

Robinson was evaluated for mental competency at Western State Hospital and after a year of evaluation found to be incompetent to assist in her own defense or incapable of understanding the nature of the proceedings.

Judge Helen Halpert in January ordered prosecutors to drop the charges, and Robinson was returned to Western State for civil commitment. But a few weeks later, doctors told the court she did not meet the standards and would be released.

Prosecutors then recharged her with second-degree murder and reckless endangerment in March.

Robinson's attorneys say she suffers from depression, alcoholism and psychotic episodes.

A report released after Robinson's arrest showed that state child-protection workers had mishandled complaints about Robinson, who had previously lost custody of four older children. A Child Protective Services caseworker in Bremerton who was assigned to the family, Laura Munn, was overloaded with cases, missed deadlines and didn't investigate the complaints against Robinson thoroughly, the report found.

Nancy Bartley: 206-464-8522 or nbartley@seattletimes.com. Information from Seattle Times archives is included in this report.