Three women have been accused of first-degree murder and multiple counts of child abuse following the death of a six-year-old girl in their residence. Susan Robinson, aged 61, Tonya McKnight, aged 51, and Tery’n McKnight, aged 22, were taken into custody in late December 2025 after the passing of Dominique Moody. The child, who weighed only 1st 13lbs at the time of her demise, was found by officers in response to a medical emergency call around 7:40 am on December 16 of the previous year. Tragically, despite being rushed to a nearby hospital, Dominique was declared dead at 9:29 am that same morning.
Medical staff revealed concerning details about Dominique’s condition, including her emaciated state, presence of broken bones, healed ligature marks on her limbs, and open wounds, with one appearing to be a burn. Allegations suggest that she was neglected, with unwashed hair, dirty nails, and sores from prolonged exposure to dirty diapers. The living conditions in the home were described as deplorable, marked by a strong smell of feces and urine, and infested with rats and cockroaches.
Investigations revealed that Dominique shared the residence with four other children, who disclosed that she was often confined in a dog crate. The home lacked central heating, relying on an oven in the kitchen and space heaters in the living room and bedroom for warmth. Messages exchanged between Susan and Tonya implied that Dominique was restrained with duct tape and deprived of food, despite the availability of food in the household.
Prior to Dominique’s death, police had visited the home nearly 50 times, and social workers had received five reports of abuse or neglect. This incident follows a similar case where a father allowed his daughter to starve to death while neglecting her basic needs. Robert S. Buskey, Jr., pleaded guilty to second-degree murder in the death of his daughter, Charlotte Buskey, who was found malnourished and neglected in a distressing living environment. The father isolated his children from the outside world, neglected their medical needs, and one of the children tested positive for cocaine.
The cases shed light on the importance of protecting vulnerable children from neglect and abuse, prompting discussions on improving child welfare systems to prevent such tragedies in the future.
