ST. GEORGE —The man charged with aggravated child abuse after a toddler sustained multiple injuries while in his care was sentenced in court in St. George.
Updated Feb. 1, 2024; The defendant, 35-year-old Robert Willis Anderson, of St. George appeared for a sentencing hearing held in 5th District Court in St. George in May of last year on one count of aggravated child abuse that was reduced from a felony to a misdemeanor, while a second third-degree felony count of the same charge was dismissed in exchange for a guilty plea.
Anderson was sentenced to serve 60 days in jail, while the prison term was suspended in the case. He was also placed on 24 months probation. The defendant entered a “no contest” plea to the charge in March, according to court records.
The case was filed following an investigation that was opened in May of 2022, when a detective was assigned to follow up on a child abuse and neglect report involving the possible abuse of a 22-month-old toddler.
Investigators found that the toddler had sustained multiple injuries during a number of separate incidents that occurred over the course of several months, all of which, the suspect reportedly claimed to be accidents, according to documents filed at the time of the arrest.
During each of the incidents, the youngster was in the care of Anderson, while the child’s mother was reportedly not present when the injuries occurred.
Authorities say the first incident reported in February involved a burn injury to the toddler’s right thigh that left a scar pattern consistent with the coils of a hot burner on a stove after Anderson reportedly placed the toddler on a hot burner, an account that was supported by the medical report later obtained by police.
During an interview conducted in June of that same year, Anderson told investigators that the burn to the youngster’s leg occurred when he “accidentally placed the victim on the kitchen burner,” the officer noted in the report.
Approximately one month later, the child suffered an injury to his chest that was caused by a humidifier allegedly left unattended while the defendant was caring for the child, the report states.
The child was leaning over the humidifier when his chest came into contact with the device, which left burn marks across his chest. The suspect reportedly said this incident occurred after he left the toddler alone in the bedroom, where a humidifier was left unattended and still running on the bedroom floor nearby. When he heard the child cry, Anderson said he ran back into the bedroom, where he found the boy lying on the floor next to the device.
In April, the child suffered a laceration to his lip after authorities say Anderson failed to catch the toddler while tossing him into the air, at which point the child’s head struck the ground and his lip was cut open.
When asked about this incident, Anderson told detectives that he was “playfully tossing” the toddler into the air while standing inside of a doorway, the report states, which is when the child’s head struck the doorway before the child fell to the ground after Anderson failed to catch him. The child’s lip was cut open as a result, the suspect alleged.
Shortly after the interview, detectives received another report from the Division of Children and Family Services involving additional injuries sustained by the toddler while he was in the suspect’s care.
Officers also received photos that revealed what appeared to be bruising to the toddler’s face, and then learned the child had sustained a possible fracture as well.
When asked, the suspect allegedly told authorities that injuries to the child’s face may have been caused by applying pressure to the child’s cheeks while giving the baby liquid medication.
And in reference to a spinal fracture, police say the suspect said the child began “misbehaving” while they were driving around, so he picked up the toddler by his leg and placed him in the car seat, which “presumably” caused the fracture.
The suspect was arrested early morning on July 22 , 2022 and transported to Purgatory Correctional Facility where he was booked into jail.
The defendant was formally charged with two third-degree felony counts of child abuse-reckless when the case was filed by the Washington County Attorney’s Office for days later.
He remained in custody on $5,000 bail until he was released eight days later after posting a bond on Aug. 3, 2022. He remained on pretrial release until his sentencing hearing on May 9, 2023, which is when he was ordered to serve the 60 days in jail with credit for time served.
The three children were removed from the home and placed in the care of a family member.
This report is based on statements from court records, police or other responders and may not contain the full scope of findings. Persons arrested or charged are presumed innocent until found guilty in a court of law or as otherwise decided by a trier-of-fact.
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