Former Food Network Star Found Guilty of Murdering the Daughter She Was in the Process of Adopting

Ariel Robinson, a former contestant and winner of Food Network’s Worst Cooks in America, was found guilty of homicide by child abuse in the beating death of her 3-year-old foster daughter by a Greenville County, South Carolina jury on Thursday.

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The verdict ended a four-day trial in which Ariel and her husband, Jerry “Austin” Robinson, testified. Graphic images of the injuries inflicted on Victoria “Tori” Smith were also shown in court.

Ariel and Jerry Robinson

Victoria Rose Smith

“In my 13-14 years as a judge, I’ve never seen anything like this,” Judge Letitia Verdin said during Ariel’s sentencing {snip}

Jerry has not yet been sentenced, but pleaded guilty to his role in the death of little Tori in April {snip}

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The couple was in the process of adopting the little girl and her brothers and, according to authorities, the hearing to finalize the adoption was scheduled for just days after she was killed {snip}

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During the hearing, Jerry said the girl had thrown up on herself the previous night on her way to church, angering her mother. Ariel’s frustration grew the next morning when Ariel allegedly claimed the girl did not eat her pancakes fast enough, he said.

After that, he said Ariel gave the girl a “whooping” that he could hear from outside of the home.

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