On August 9, 2022, Elizabeth May Robinson was bathing her two young daughters in a bathtub at the Holland Women's Rescue Mission (Gateway Mission), a shelter for homeless women and children in Holland, Michigan. After her older daughter began coughing, Robinson removed her from the tub but left her 11-month-old daughter Roslynn alone in the water. Robinson then left the bathroom to put a diaper on the older child and took a phone call from her incarcerated boyfriend (the child's biological father) at the Ottawa County Jail, which lasted approximately 2 minutes and 54 seconds. She was out of the bathroom and out of view of the child. When she returned, she found the baby submerged in 7 inches of water. Bystanders performed CPR before first responders arrived and transported the child to a local hospital, where she was placed on life support. The child died on August 21, 2022, at Helen DeVos Children's Hospital in Grand Rapids from hypoxic encephalopathy caused by asphyxia by drowning. Robinson was charged with involuntary manslaughter, pled no contest, and was sentenced to 18 months in prison.
Contexts/Conditions
Is there any mention of child drug ingestion or overdose?
Is there any mention of a drowning incident (either intentional or accidental)?
The ME report (MI_22_2218.pdf) lists the immediate cause of death as "Hypoxic encephalopathy asphyxia by drowning" and describes the injury as "Decreased drowned in bathtub." All news articles consistently describe the child's bathtub drowning.
Is there any mention of a firearm incident?
Is there any mention of inappropriate supervision (e.g., child wandered off and drowned)?
Multiple sources describe the mother leaving the 11-month-old unsupervised in the bathtub. The WZZM sentencing article states: "Police say she left her child Rosalyn in the bathtub alone for nearly three minutes when the child drowned." The MLive article states: "Robinson was giving her daughter a bath when she left to talk to her boyfriend." Court documents (cited in the WZZM charges article) state: "she admitted to detectives she was out of the bathroom and out of view of the child in the tub." She was simultaneously on the phone with her incarcerated boyfriend and struggling with the older daughter's diaper.
Is there any mention of inflicted injury? (e.g. slapped, punched, kicked, choked)
Is there any mention of malnutrition, starvation, or dehydration?
Is there any mention of medical neglect?
Is there any mention of a motor vehicle crash or incident?
Is there any mention of a murder-suicide incident?
Is there any mention of outdoor elements (including hot car deaths)?
Is there any mention of prenatal substance exposure (including fetal alcohol syndrome or neonatal abstinence syndrome)?
Is there any mention of sexual abuse?
Is there any specific mention of shaken baby or abusive head trauma?
Is there any mention of prolonged abuse or torture (including restraints, captivity)?
Is there any mention of an unsafe sleeping environment?
Individuals Involved
Was an adoptive parent or guardian involved in the death?
Was a biological father involved in the death?
Was a biological mother involved in the death?
Elizabeth May Robinson, the biological mother, was the sole caregiver at the time of the incident and was charged with involuntary manslaughter for the child's death. The MLive article states she "pleaded no contest to involuntary manslaughter in the death of her daughter, Roslyn." She left the child unsupervised in the bathtub while on the phone and tending to her other daughter.
Was a day care worker, babysitter, or nanny involved in the death?
Was a female paramour or friend involved in the death (e.g., girlfriend, stepmother)?
Was a foster parent involved in the death?
Was a male paramour or friend involved in the death (e.g., boyfriend, stepfather)?
Was another adult relative involved in the death? (e.g., grandfather, aunt)
Was a sibling involved in the death?
Child Characteristics
Was the child adopted?
Was the child homeschooled (including "cyberschooling") or taken out of school?
Was the child in foster care at the time of the incident?
Was the child living with relatives at the time of the incident (but not parents)?
Is there any mention of a neurological developmental child disability? (e.g., autism, intellectual disability, nonverbal)
Is there any mention of a physical child disability? (e.g., feeding tube)
Is there any mention of prematurity or low birthweight?
Is there a history of child protection reports prior to death (for this child or siblings)?
The MLive article states: "In letters to the court, Robinson's parents and a close friend raised concerns about her parenting, including neglecting children." Additionally, the judge stated: "the neglect of the victim was 'not an anomaly.'" Together these strongly suggest a pattern of prior neglect involving this child or siblings. However, formal child protection reports are not explicitly mentioned; the concerns were raised in letters to the court during sentencing.
Does the child have a history of foster care (but not in care at time of incident)?
Is there a history of a sibling death (separate incident from this death)?
Parent/Caregiver Factors
Was an adult charged or arrested for the child's death?
Elizabeth May Robinson was charged with involuntary manslaughter, arraigned in 58th District Court, pled no contest, and was sentenced. The MLive article states: "Ottawa County Circuit Judge Jon Hulsing sentenced her to 18 months in prison." The WZZM sentencing article states: "Robinson pled no-contest in June and was sentenced in court on Tuesday. Robinson faces a minimum of 18 months up to a maximum of 180 months in prison."
Is domestic violence by the parent/caregiver referenced?
Is there any mention that the death occurred in a temporary shelter or while homeless?
Multiple sources confirm the incident occurred at a shelter for homeless women and children. The WZZM charges article states: "The initial incident happened on Aug. 9 at the Holland Women's Rescue Mission." The MLive article specifies: "Holland police responded to Robinson's room at Gateway Missing Women & Children's Center on a report of a near-drowning." The WZZM charges article also notes: "Gateway Mission is a faith-based organization that provides emergency services for those experiencing homelessness in West Michigan."
Is an intellectual disability of the parent/caregiver referenced?
Is the mental health of the parent/caregiver referenced?
Is a history of arrests or criminal charges for the parent/caregiver referenced?
The child's biological father (Robinson's boyfriend) was incarcerated at the Ottawa County Jail at the time of the incident. The MLive article identifies him as "her boyfriend, the girl's father, in call from the Ottawa County Jail." The WZZM charges article states: "She was on the phone with her boyfriend, who is incarcerated at the Ottawa County Jail." Being incarcerated establishes that this parent had prior criminal involvement predating and separate from the child's death.
Is substance use by the parent/caregiver referenced?
Notable Details
The MLive article reveals that "In letters to the court, Robinson's parents and a close friend raised concerns about her parenting, including neglecting children. Hurley urged the judge to consider the letters." The sentencing judge stated that "the neglect of the victim was 'not an anomaly,'" strongly suggesting a pattern of negligent parenting that predated this fatal incident. Additionally, there is a notable discrepancy regarding the duration the child was left unsupervised: the MLive article reports the phone call lasted "two minutes, 54 seconds," and the WZZM sentencing article says the child was left alone for "nearly three minutes," while court documents cited in both WZZM articles indicate Robinson told detectives the diaper struggle "went on for about ten minutes" and she was "out of the bathroom and out of view of the child."
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