Who is Ariel Robinson? Worst Cooks in America winner found guilty of killing foster daughter

Ariel Robinson, a former participant on Food Network's Worst Cooks in America, was found guilty by a Greenville County, South Carolina, jury on May 12 for killing her foster daughter at their house.

The Greenville County records show that the 30-year-old foster mother and her husband, Jerry "Austin" Robinson, were accused of homicide by child abuse in January 2021 for beating their 3-year-old daughter, Victoria "Tori" Rose Smith, to death. The 35-year-old man agreed to plead guilty to aiding and abetting homicide by child abuse last month.

Following a four-day trial, the jury pondered for roughly an hour and a half before deciding. Robinson received a life sentence in jail, as per Fox News.

According to a medical assessment, Smith died in 2021 due to blunt force injuries, declared by the Greenville County Coroner's Office.

On May 12, Ariel Robinson entered the witness stand and sobbed when asked what it was like to live with Smith. According to the publication, the Worst Cooks in America season 20 winner characterized the 3-year-old as "a perfect child" who was easy to get along with.

Prosecutors said the Robinsons killed Smith on January 14, 2021, when police discovered the girl motionless in their house.

Dr. Michael Ward, a forensic pathologist for Greenville County, testified on May 12 that the toddler was hit with such force that her blood vessels ruptured, enabling blood to pool in her muscles and fat, leading to her death. He said:

"If we lose enough blood, the heart doesn’t have enough volume to pump."

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Ariel Robinson's husband revealed how she used to treat the now-deceased child

Austin Robinson earlier told investigators that the deadly beating occurred on Jan. 13, 2021, after Smith vomited on the way to a church service and Ariel grew enraged.

On May 12, witnesses Jean Smith and Avery Santiago testified that they observed Ariel and an undressed Smith in the church restroom, where Ariel was attempting to scrub the girl's clothing in a sink.

Jean claimed she asked Ariel whether Smith was unwell, and Ariel allegedly informed her that the youngster "overeats and makes herself throw up," referring to it as a "game."

Santiago testified that she overheard Ariel tell Smith:

"'Oh, you’re cold. You’re cold. Girls that make themselves throw up deserve to be cold.'"

When Ariel Robinson was asked about the church incident while on the stand on May 12, she said that she was "frustrated."

Austin, who testified on May 10, said Ariel would grow enraged by Smith's eating habits and hit her with belts or a wooden paddle. He said:

"Sometimes I’d take a piece of (her) food just to help her out."

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Ariel Robinson was the winner of Season 20 of Food Network’s Worst Cooks in America, bagging a $25,000 cash prize. She has been a former middle school teacher and a local comedian.

When word of her arrest spread, the network removed all episodes of her competition from its platforms.