Prosecution testimony continues in the trial of a Simpsonville woman charged with the child-abuse death of her three-year-old foster daughter on the day she and her husband were scheduled to sign adoption papers.
A Simpsonville police officer who took the stand as the prosecution opened its case against Ariel Robinson testified that the first call from the home indicated a possible drowning. But then said , that she immediately noticed bruises on Victoria "Tori" Smith's body.
The woman's husband, who pleaded guilty in a separately trial to aiding and abetting child abuse homicide told investigators he had placed the little girl in a bath of Epsom salts because of injuries he says were inflicted by his wife with a belt because Tori was not earing her breakfast fast enough.
The little girl died in the hospital of what the coroner said was internal bleeding from the leg injuries. In opening arguments, Lead prosecutor Christine Sustakovitch warned the jury they will find evidence and testimony hard to see and hear. However, Arial Robinson's attorney. William Bouton, asked them to keep an open mind saying that as with so many things in life there is more than one side to the story.
