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LAS VEGAS (KLAS) — The mother and man accused of killing a 2-year-old boy whose body was later found in a dumpster in Downtown Las Vegas appeared in court on Saturday morning.
Co-defendants Diaja Smith, 23, and Jacoby Robinson, 24, appeared in front of Las Vegas Judge Holly Storberski on Saturday, a day after Smith’s son, 2-year-old Jacoby Robinson Jr, was found in a dumpster.
Smith faces charges of open murder and child abuse and Robinson currently faces charges of child abuse however, his charges will be upgraded to open murder, the prosecutor said Saturday.
Robinson Jr. was reported missing on Thursday and a flyer created by police stated that he was last seen Thursday around 7:45 p.m. near the corner of Lewis Avenue and S. 15th Street near Mayfair Place Park.
Early Friday morning, Metro police said that officers located a body at Lewis Avenue and 15th Street just before 1 a.m., and homicide investigators were sent to the scene. Police did not initially release information connecting the two cases however, the police event numbers for both cases are identical.
In court, prosecutors said Robinson allegedly admitted to being in the apartment at the time the child was beaten and whipped. Prosecutors also alleged that Robinson was with the child after the beating and saw the child throwing up and helped Robinson Jr. get the vomit out of his mouth and nose before he went back to sleep.
Prosecutors said the autopsy of Robinson Jr. is ongoing however they have been notified of “very concerning injuries,” to the child’s body including to his genitals and injuries to nearly 100% of his body from being whipped with a cord.
Both Robinson and Smith are being held without bail and are scheduled to appear back in court on Tuesday.
