An appalling case has emerged from West Virginia, where a 51-year-old stepmother stands accused of a harrowing neglect that allegedly resulted in the death of her young stepdaughter. The tragedy unfolded after years of purported starvation and neglect of the 11-year-old girl.

Authorities arrested Shannon Faith Robinson on Wednesday, charging her with murder of a child by a parent or guardian through refusal or failure to provide necessary care, as detailed in court documents.

The distressing chain of events came to light on February 16, 2025, when around 8:40 p.m., deputies from the Taylor County Sheriff’s Office responded to an emergency call. The call, made by medical services, reported an unresponsive juvenile at a residence along the 200 block of Nector Street in Grafton, West Virginia. Upon arrival, deputies discovered the child lying lifeless on the kitchen floor, as emergency personnel struggled to perform lifesaving procedures.

An affidavit paints a grim picture of the scene, describing the victim as “extremely small for her age, severely underweight, and malnourished.” The child, dressed in disposable pull-ups, was neither breathing nor responsive, a deputy noted.

At the scene, the victim’s father was seen kneeling beside her, while Robinson, identified as the primary caregiver, remained seated nearby. When questioned, Robinson claimed the child had been suffering from flu-like symptoms for about a week. Shockingly, no medical attention had been sought during this period, she confessed to the authorities.

Robinson told authorities the victim had been “experiencing flu-like symptoms for approximately a week prior to the incident,” but said that “no medical treatment had been sought.”

EMS transported the child to Grafton City Hospital where she was pronounced dead at 9:32 p.m., per the affidavit.

Two other “household members” told investigators the victim had been sick “for a little while” and was kept in diapers because she had ongoing diarrhea for “an extended period.”

The medical examiner’s office conducted an autopsy and found that the victim weighed just 43 pounds, which was “grossly inconsistent with her chronological age.”

“The medical examiner further noted head lice, a yellowish tint to the skin, extreme thinness with bones visibly protruding, and multiple bruises and lacerations on the extremities and torso,” police wrote in the affidavit. “On October 7, 2025, I received the final autopsy report, which concluded [the victim] died from bilateral, diffuse, acute bronchopneumonia, with failure to thrive listed as a contributing factor. The report noted [the victim] was markedly underweight, with height and weight well below the fifth percentile for her age and sex.”

Interviews with family and friends allegedly revealed that Robinson and the father kept the victim “isolated” from the outside world, investigators said. They also alleged that the 11-year-old had been visibly ill since mid-2024, with her condition “progressively worsening to the point she was unable to walk without assistance and spent the majority of her time sleeping.”

Despite the “observable and severe decline in health,” witnesses told detectives that Robinson and [the victim’s father] refused to obtain necessary medical care for the victim “because they feared being reported for child abuse or neglect due to her physical condition.” A search of records showed the victim had not seen a doctor since 2020, shortly after she began living with Robinson.

The couple also allegedly starved the victim as a form of punishment.

“Further investigation revealed that food deprivation was used as a method of punishment toward [the victim],” the affidavit states. “Witnesses stated that if [the victim] resisted or ‘pushed back’ against Ms. Robinson, she would be denied food or provided only minimal nourishment for extended periods, while other household members consumed full meals in her presence.”

Robinson was booked into the Tygart Valley Regional Jail where she is being held without bond. It was not immediately clear when she was scheduled to appear in court.

The victim’s father is not currently facing any charges in connection with her death.