In a distressing case of child neglect, Shane and Crystal Robertson from a Philadelphia suburb have been sentenced to serve up to 16 years behind bars. The couple's seven children were discovered living in squalid conditions, and the parents were found guilty of seven felony counts of child endangerment as well as multiple counts of animal neglect. According to CBS News Philadelphia, the sentencing occurred yesterday, with the judge vehemently condemning the parents' actions.
The investigation that led to the Robertsons' conviction began in April 2023 when police were alerted to children entering an abandoned trailer. Officers were to heartbreakingly discover that the children were seeking a blanket to keep their pet rats warm, a detail sourced from 6abc. Upon inspecting the Robertsons' own trailer, deplorable living conditions were found, including feces scattered and a padlocked refrigerator.
During the sentencing, Common Pleas Judge Charissa J. Liller expressed grave disapproval of the couple, stating, "You two are some of the worst parents I've ever seen in my career," as reported by phillyburbs.com. The sentence also includes a strict block on contact between the Robertsons and their children until they reach adulthood, at which point any interaction must be mediated by a therapist.
Further unveiled in the hearing were TikTok videos that painfully contrasted the treatment of their pets with that of their children. Crystal Robertson could be seen providing care to her lizard that was not extended to the kids, a disturbing reality highlighted by CBS News Philadelphia. The children, now in the custody of Bucks County Children and Youth Social Services, are showing signs of recovery, making friends and attending school.
