Las Vegas officer finds 2-year-old boy’s body in dumpster

LAS VEGAS (KLAS) — A city marshal’s body camera captured him finding a 2-year-old boy deceased in a dumpster hours after the child’s mother reported him missing.

In videos obtained Thursday by NewsNation affiliate KLAS, the marshal looks into the dumpster as part of the search for Jacoby Robinson Jr. on June 7. KLAS first reported the arrest of Jacoby’s mother, Diaja Smith, 23; and his father, Jacoby Robinson Sr., 24.

A Clark County grand jury indicted the parents on murder and child abuse charges earlier this month.

Police suspect Jacoby died earlier in the day before Smith allegedly put his body in the dumpster near Lewis Avenue and 14th Street, documents said. Smith then called 911, claiming Jacoby was missing and that someone took him from a park.

The city marshal located Jacoby’s body inside the dumpster less than five hours after Smith made the call. The marshal’s body camera recorded his reaction and him telling a coworker to call Metro police.

Photos obtained by KLAS showed the boy’s body at the bottom of the nearly empty dumpster. Police said the boy’s body showed “significant signs of physical injury to [his] head, torso and buttocks,” documents said.

Before allegedly placing the boy in the dumpster, a surveillance camera recorded a woman police said is Smith with her three children – with two children in a stroller. Police suspect Jacoby was already deceased at the time.

Another video shows a woman police said is Smith walking toward a dumpster that is out of view from the camera. The camera records a metal boom and then seconds later, Smith walks into view with two children, not three.

Prosecutors suspect Smith placed Jacoby’s body in the dumpster just after 8 p.m., documents said. Earlier the same day around 12:44 p.m., someone used the elder Robinson’s phone to search for how to perform CPR, documents said. A person then looked for bus tickets from Las Vegas to Los Angeles and called using the device.

Police suspect Smith beat Jacoby and his younger brother with a belt and power cords, documents said. Smith denied ever hitting the children and said Jacoby had suffered a seizure the day before his death, documents said. She also admitted that Jacoby was deceased while in the stroller in video surveillance, police said.

Smith and Robinson share five children, including Jacoby and the two younger siblings, records said. The Clark County Department of Family Services recorded three prior contacts with the family.

Documents previously indicated Jacoby had a twin, though court records said that information was incorrect and the boy is actually a year younger. The two older children are no longer in the parents custody, family said.

Smith regained custody of the three young children, including Jacoby, in April, records said.

Smith sent a letter to Robinson Sr. from jail where she revealed non-public information about the murder, prosecutors said.

“I feel so bad because I feel like I wasn’t doing the same for you, I was just on autopilot trying not to crash,” a detective read from the letter to the grand jury, according to transcripts. “[Expletive], why didn’t I listen when I said no more whoopings when you told me to stop whooping the kids. I really hope you can forgive me. Love deep down I really do. I cherished every moment with you. I wish I cooked us one last meal. I’m sorry I wasn’t thinking right.”

Both Smith and Robinson remained in jail as of Thursday without bail. Their next court appearance was scheduled for Aug. 8. Both have denied to speak to 8 News Now from jail.

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