A man accused of beating his five-year-old stepson to death with a belt is now being held on $5 million bail while the child’s mother faces charges of serious injury by omission.
Terry Don Robinson Jr., 35, and Destiny Lynn Culvahouse, 24, were both arrested in connection with the tragic death of Zaydon Robinson, who was found unresponsive on Sept. 27 in their apartment at Creekside Apartments on Nichols Drive, in Texarkana, Texas.
Police arrived at the residence after the couple waited nearly two hours to call 911. When officers responded to the scene, they discovered young Zaydon suffering from extensive injuries, leading investigators to believe foul play was involved. Medical personnel attempted life-saving measures before transporting the boy to the hospital, where he was pronounced dead.
According to court records, Robinson admitted to “disciplining” Zaydon for “stealing” a diaper bag, a microphone stand, and two drinks. The alleged incident occurred in the early morning hours, and Robinson said he found the child awake while the rest of the household slept. After waking up the following day, Robinson reportedly punished the boy before leaving the apartment to go grocery shopping, apply for a job, and make a car payment.
The severity of the injuries sustained by Zaydon raised immediate concerns. Court documents revealed that his body bore massive bruising across his abdomen, arms, buttocks, and legs. Despite this, his mother, Culvahouse, claimed that the child had been “acting normal” when he had breakfast with her earlier that morning. Zaydon reportedly took a nap alongside other children in the home around 11 a.m., and it wasn’t until 12:30 p.m. when Culvahouse attempted to wake him, she found him unresponsive.
Culvahouse initially told investigators that she immediately called 911 after discovering her son wasn’t breathing. However, evidence contradicted this, showing that the call was not until approximately two hours later, at 2:12 p.m. Rather than contacting emergency services immediately, the couple allegedly placed Zaydon in a bathtub to “warm him up” before eventually deciding to call for help.
When questioned by authorities, Robinson initially denied striking Zaydon. However, he later admitted to hitting the boy an “unknown” number of times with a belt. Robinson expressed frustration over Zaydon “not listening” during the incident, leading to what he claimed was his form of discipline. He also attempted to downplay the time lapse between finding the child unresponsive and calling 911, initially stating that only five minutes had passed.
Robinson and Culvahouse were both arrested and booked into the Bi-State Detention Center. Robinson faces a charge of capital murder, which carries the possibility of the death penalty or life in prison without parole. Culvahouse has been charged with injury to a child by omission, which could result in a sentence of five to 99 years or life imprisonment.
Law enforcement continues to investigate the circumstances surrounding Zaydon’s death. The Texarkana Texas Police Department is awaiting the results of an autopsy to determine the official cause of death. Robinson and Culvahouse remain behind bars, with Robinson’s bail set at $5 million and Culvahouse’s at $1 million.
The defense teams will likely argue mitigating circumstances during the forthcoming court hearings, but the severity of the charges indicates a challenging legal battle ahead.
The brutal details of Zaydon’s death have left the Texarkana community reeling. Reports indicate that the child’s body showed extensive bruising, leading investigators to suspect that the abuse had been ongoing. The community’s grief and outrage have only deepened due to the delayed response in calling for help and Robinson’s admission of physical discipline.
As authorities continue their investigation, the Texarkana community remains focused on seeking justice for Zaydon.