St. Louis man charged in death of girlfriend’s son after initially claiming toddler was hit by car

ST. LOUIS (TCD) -- A 33-year-old man was charged with second-degree murder after his girlfriend’s 3-year-old son was found dead in early December.

A spokeswoman for the St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department told KTVI-TV that on Dec. 10, the victim’s mother left her child in Timothy Robinson’s care because she had a job interview. When the mother returned home to the 2600 block of Rutger Street at approximately 2 p.m., she found her son Emmanuel Ware unconscious with several wounds on his head and body.

KSDK-TV, citing court documents, identified Ware’s mother as Shanice Moore. She and Robinson are reportedly in a relationship, but he is not her son’s father.

According to KMOV-TV, Robinson left the house when Moore called police.

KSDK reports Robinson told Moore he took Ware to a gas station because he needed to buy cigarettes. Robinson reportedly told police the boy was hit by a car as they were crossing the street. Investigators looked into surveillance footage and, according to court documents, found no evidence of an accident at the time and date Robinson initially described.

Additionally, according to KMOV, which cites court documents, Ware’s injuries did not match those of getting hit by a car.

KTVI reports the St. Louis Medical Examiner’s Office found in the autopsy that Ware suffered "a tear in the right lobe of his liver and approximately 350 ml of blood in his abdominal cavity."

KTVI reports Robinson was already in custody because of a previous robbery charge. Court dockets show he was charged on Dec. 23 with abuse or neglect of a child resulting in death and second-degree murder. He is being held without bond.

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