It was shortly before Halloween last year that a 7-year-old girl reported to police that her grandmother dressed up like a witch and called herself "Nelda"in order to abuse the child. Now, a year later, the allegedly abusive witch has been ordered to stand trial on child abuse charges.
Geneva S. Robinson, 50, and her boyfriend Joshua Granger, 32, each waived the right to a preliminary hearing on Friday. At a preliminary hearing, a judgeconsiders the evidence and testimony to see if they are sufficient to merit a trial. By waiving the preliminary hearing, the defendants are automaticallybound over for trial.
Police arrested Robinson after she took the girl to the hospital saying she could no longer control her. Hospital employees noticed that the girl appearedmalnourished, had several cuts and bruises all over her body, and had ligature marks associated with being tied up. The girl told police that her grandmotherwould dress up as a witch named Nelda, hanging the girl from the garage ceiling by using a dog leash under her armpits, and telling her that the"creatures in the attic were going to come get her."She says the woman also hit her with a whip, burned her, used pliers to pull on her fingers and nose, and threatened her with a knife.
Investigators discovered the leash in the garage, a witch costume, and a whip inside the home.
Prosecutors also alleged that the woman abused another grandchild, cutting a 6-year-old boy's finger with scissors and threatening to cut it off.
Earlier this year, reports indicated that DHS failed to investigate a complaint about Robinson. The girl's mother called the agency to report that shehad a cell phone video of the woman dressed as a witch and threatening the girl as she cried and said she would be good. The video allegedly depictsthe woman grabbing the girl by the face and hair and dragging her around a room.
DHS disputed that they were negligent in investigating, saying that the caller only said that the womangrabbed the child's shirt, and based on the phone call, there was no abuse or neglect described. A DHS spokesperson said she wished that the callerhad provided more information or followed up on her complaint so that the agency could have taken action.
After Robinson took the girl to the hospital some four months after DHS received that call, the agency took the child, her sister, and two brothers intoprotective custody.
Robinson will face trial on 13 counts of child abuse and five counts of child neglect. Granger is charged with four counts of child abuse and five countsof child neglect. If convicted they face up to life in prison.
