Jacoby Robinson Jr. was just 2 years old when police found his lifeless body inside a Las Vegas dumpster. His mother, Diaja Smith, 23, claimed someone had taken her son, but an investigation found that wasn’t true.
Instead, prosecutors say Smith and the toddler’s father, Jacoby Robinson Sr., allegedly inflicted repeated physical abuse on the boy and he died. Smith reportedly dumped Jacoby’s body in a dumpster while Robinson searched for bus tickets to Los Angeles.
The case has rocked the community, particularly Jacoby’s grandmother, Gracie Martin. She told KLAS she adored her grandson and wants justice for the little boy who couldn’t protect himself.
More from CafeMom: The ‘Sweetest Little Boy’ Found Dead in Dumpster After Going Missing for 24 Hours
Smith allegedly reported her son missing from a Las Vegas park.
According to court documents obtained by KTNV, Smith called 911 on June 6, 2024, to report Jacoby missing. She told police she had her three children at the park and Jacoby took off for the slide.
A witness told KNTV he saw Smith “hysterical” and yelling that someone took her kid. But an investigation proved that wasn’t the case at all. Jacoby never made it to the park. Instead, his mother allegedly dumped his body in a dumpster.
Video surveillance shows Smith pushing her sons in a stroller.
The footage obtained by KTNV shows Smith pushing her twins, Jacoby and Jachail, in a stroller while carrying her third son, Jai’cee, on her chest. At the beginning of the video, Jachail is in the front of the stroller and Jacoby is in the back. The mother appears to walk toward a dumpster that is obstructed in the footage. Suddenly, a loud thud seems to come from the dumpster. Moments later, the mother appears in the frame again, but there is no Jacoby.
Police found Jacoby's body later that evening.
Body cam footage shows the moment an officer discovers the toddler’s body and calls for help. Smith and Robinson both face murder charges in Jacoby’s death and additional child abuse charges related to another son, according to KLAS.
Martin, who is Robinson’s mother, told the news outlet that her heart was breaking for her grandson. “He just wanted to be loved,” she said.
She added that Smith seemed like a good mother and her son wanted to be a good dad. “She always portrayed like she loved the kids,” Martin said. “My son wanted to be the father that his father wasn’t. My son never raised his hand to not one of his kids.”
Now, Martin wants justice for her grandson and his brothers.
She keeps Jacoby’s ashes in an urn and told KLAS she talks to him about everything. “I tell him that I love him,” she said.
She created a GoFundMe page in hopes of honoring her grandson’s memory. “I am Gracie, the paternal grandmother writing this story with a heavy heart and deep sense of urgency, asking for your help as we fight for justice in this civil lawsuit for my beloved 2-year-old grandson Jacoby Robinson Jr., whose life was tragically and senselessly taken from us,” she wrote. “As a family, we are not only grappling with the immense grief of this devastating loss, but we are also committed to seeking justice and accountability for what happened to him.”
She’s raised $330 thus far.
More from CafeMom: Mom & Stepmom Hid 4-Year-Old’s Body in a Dumpster After He Died in Scalding Bath
Smith and Robinson are facing life in prison.
Per KLAS, a death review committee determined the Clark County District Attorney’s Office should not seek the death penalty in the case if a jury convicts the parents of the murder. Instead, according to Nevada law, the couple could spend the rest of their lives in prison.
If you suspect child abuse, you can call the Childhelp National Child Abuse Hotline at 1-800-422-4453 (1-800-4-A-Child) or go to Childhelp.org. The hotline is [available 24/7](https://childhelphotline.org/).
