Two Jerseyville residents are facing first-degree murder charges for allegedly starving a six year old boy, who eventually died weighing just 17 pounds.
According to stltoday.com, the two suspects are the boy’s father, 42-year old Michael Roberts, and his stepmother, 42-year old Georgena Roberts, both of Jerseyville. Both suspects were arrested on charges of first-degree murder and two counts of endangering the life and health of a child.
According to the article, the child died at Jersey Community Hospital on Friday and Jerseyville Police were called to the facility to discover that the child weighed only 17 pounds at the time of his death. The father and stepmother of the child are accused of starving the child as punishment, which allegedly led to the child’s death.
Court documents reveal that between December 2015 and Friday, the Robertses “knowingly and intentionally” caused the victim to become “extremely malnourished.” The article cites documents claiming that the couple also “withheld food and nourishment on a constant basis” from the boy’s 7-year-old brother, who also “fell into a state of severe malnourishment caused by them.”
According to Jerseyville police, the boy lived at a home in Jerseyville along with three other siblings and two step-siblings, and that all five children who lived in the home are now in protective custody. The bail for both Michael and Georgena Roberts has been set at $500,000 each.