How Could You? Hall of Shame-Kenneth Robinson UPDATED

By on 2-03-2014 in Abuse in foster care, Alabama, How could you? Hall of Shame, Kenneth Robinson

How Could You? Hall of Shame-Kenneth Robinson UPDATED

This will be an archive of heinous actions by those involved in child welfare, foster care and adoption. We forewarn you that these are deeply disturbing stories that may involve sex abuse, murder, kidnapping and other horrendous actions.

From Opelika, Alabama, Kenneth Robinson,49,son of a foster parent,’has committed horrific offenses against two young girls while they were living with his mother under foster care. Robinson now faces charges on first degree rape, sodomy and sexual abuse.”

“Robinson was arrested back in June [2013]after a social worker contacted police, and the young girls picked Robinson out of a line-up as their attacker. However, the police did not make the arrest public until five months later when News Leader 9 started asking question.  We asked Chief of Police John McEachern why the arrest was not made public.

It was not the policy of the Opelika Police Department at the time to release identities of individuals who had been arrested on sex related crimes,[WHY?] but since that time, I have become police chief, and we are taking a look at that policy and making revisions so that police will release the names of individuals in sex related crimes to the public,” says McEachern.

The Chief also says even though sex assault suspects have not been convicted in a court of law, it is still in the public’s best interest to be notified of an arrest in their community.

Investigators say at this point, there is no indication the foster mother knew anything about the alleged sexual abuse. The director of the Lee County Department of Human Resources has not returned our calls and emails requesting information on the case.  The Alabama State Department of Human Resources emailed us back, saying they are working on a response.

McEachern says investigators are looking into the mother’s status as a foster parent, as well as investigating whether or not any other foster children were ever under her care.”

Opelika man arrested for sexually abusing 2 foster children in care of his mother[WTVM 11/8/13 by Elizabeth White]

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Update: “Testimony begins Thursday in the trial of an Opelika man who allegedly sexually abused 2 foster children in care of his mother.

In November 2012, investigators say Kenneth Robinson, 49, committed horrific offenses against two young girls while they were living with his mother in foster care.

Robinson was arrested on first-degree rape, sodomy and sexual abuse charges. Robinson was arrested back in June 2013 after a social worker contacted police, and the young girls picked Robinson out of a line-up as their attacker.

Opelika Police did not make the arrest public until five months later when News Leader 9 started asking question. We asked Chief of Police John McEachern then why the arrest was not made public.

“It was not the policy of the Opelika Police Department at the time to release identities of individuals who had been arrested on sex related crimes, but since that time, I have become police chief, and we are taking a look at that policy and making revisions so that police will release the names of individuals in sex related crimes to the public,” McEachern in 2013.

McEachern also said even though sex assault suspects have not been convicted in a court of law, it is still in the public’s best interest to be notified of an arrest in their community.

Investigators say at this point, there is no indication the foster mother knew anything about the alleged sexual abuse.”

Testimony begins in Opelika sex abuse trial[My Fox Alabama 3/13/15 by Elizabeth White]

Update 2: “An Opelika man was sentenced to life in prison Monday after being found guilty of several sex crime charges against two girls who were in foster care when they were abused.

Kenneth Robinson, 52, of Opelika was sentenced to life in prison for first-degree sodomy and up to 17 years for first-degree sexual abuse after being found guilty of the two charges in March. Robinson was found not guilty on a count of first-degree rape. The sentences are to run consecutively.

Robinson was arrested in June 2013 for alleged incidents that occurred in 2012 on Hurst Street in Opelika. The victims, two young girls, were reportedly foster children living in the home of Robinson’s mother, where Robinson also lived at the time of the abuse.

District Attorney Robbie Treese said Monday that his office was “very pleased” with the sentence and outcome of the case.

“We couldn’t be more pleased that justice was served in this particular case and that very serious sentences were handed down by the courts,” Treese said.

According to court documents, Robinson’s attorney, W. Todd Crutchfield, has filed an appeal on behalf of Robinson to appeal the conviction and sentence.

“The fact that there was an appeal filed—that’s really a matter of course, so no surprises there,” Treese said, adding that the appeal would be handled by the Attorney General’s office.

Crutchfield did not respond to a request for comment by press deadline Monday.”

Opelika man receives life sentence for sodomy, abuse of foster children
[OA Now 6/29/15]

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