A Simpsonville man who pleaded guilty to homicide by child abuse in the death of a 3-year-old girl was sentenced to 20 years in prison during a court hearing Thursday.
Judge Letitia Verdin handed down the sentence for Jerry Austin Robinson. He was given credit for 505 days already spent in custody.
Robinson pleaded guilty to homicide by child abuse/aiding and abetting on April 14, more than a year after the January 2021 death of Victoria Rose Smith.
Robinson entered the courtroom Thursday with teary eyes along with attorney Lucas Marchant. In attendance were his family, Victoria's biological family and community activist Traci Fant.
Robinson addressed Verdin and expressed that a day doesn't go by that he doesn't think of Victoria. He said he loved her and wished he would've handled things differently.
"To Tori's family, I am truly sorry for all of this. I hope that one day you all can forgive me," he said.
Sobs could be heard from both families across the courtroom.
Jerry Robinson shares two children with Ariel Robinson who he was able to see during visitations in-person in November twice a month. Robinson said his children had gotten used to see him. He asked the judge to consider his children with her decision and leave him on house arrest. Robinson pleaded guilty, which meant he could not be given only house arrest and would be sentenced.
"They don't deserve to have both of their parents behind bars," Jerry Robinson said.
Judge Verdin told Jerry Robinson that he not only failed Victoria but his own children on Jan. 14, 2021
"You didn't go to stop it. You said 'She's gone too far this time,' that means there have been other times. You didn't call, you tried to half measures that wouldn't get you or your wife in any trouble. You went to CVS on your own, you could've done something then," Verdin said.
Jake Erwin, the attorney of the biological family of Victoria, said the next steps of the process to try to bring accountability from the Department of Social Services.
"It was a massive failure," he said.
Michelle Urps, the family spokesperson said they were relieved it was over but DSS had too many gaping holes in their system.
"We need to fix the system in place" Urps said.
Ariel Robinson, Jerry Robinson's wife, was sentenced to life in prison on May 12 after a jury returned a guilty verdict to homicide by child abuse.
During the four-day trial, Jerry Robinson took the stand and explained that he wasn't truthful on Jan. 14, 2021, when Ariel Robinson blamed Victoria's 7-year-old brother for the injuries on her legs. He said in court he was trying to "protect both sides."
Victoria was found unresponsive in the Robinson's Sellwood Circle home. She died from blunt force injuries and internal bleeding, according to the Greenville County Coroner's Office.
Jerry Robinson's charges carry a sentence of 20 years up to life in prison.
Victoria had "physical signs of abuse" with patterns of linear and loop patterns that appeared to be like an object to hit a child, medical professionals said during Ariel Robinson's trial.
