Bucks County parents sentenced to prison for 'nightmarish' neglect of seven children

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WEST ROCK HILL, Pa, – A mother and father who a judge called “two of the worst parents I have ever seen in my life” could spend more than a decade behind bars for their reprehensible behavior.

Shane Robertson, 48, and Crystal Robertson, 38, were sentenced to eight to 16 years in prison for forcing their seven children to live in a dirty, dilapidated trailer in West Rockhill Township while allowing their health to deteriorate.

“It is appalling that you and your seven children are living in these conditions,” said Judge Charissa J. Liller. “You treated your animals better than you treated your children. You kept them in cages like animals, but you didn't treat them as well.”

The couple had pleaded guilty to child endangerment and animal neglect after officials found “nightmarish conditions” in their home in August 2023.

Officials said they found seven barefoot and dirty children between the ages of four and 16 who needed immediate medical attention due to malnutrition, a positive Covid test, poor eyesight, maggot infestation and poor dental hygiene.

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The caravan was also found in a “dilapidated and chaotic” condition: the floor was rotten, there was animal droppings, cleaning or hygiene products were missing and the refrigerator was locked and contained hardly any food.

The only “notable” food in the trailer was for the couple’s animals, which included two dogs, two turtles, two rabbits, snakes, toads, a four-foot-long tegu lizard, and two dozen rats.

“The investigation also revealed that none of the children had any formal schooling and all lacked basic skills,” said the Bucks County District Attorney's Office. “Some of them did not even know when they were born. They all exhibited social anxiety and stated that they did not like being in public or around other people.”

The children are currently in the care of Bucks County Child and Youth Social Services and the animals have been turned over to the Bucks County SPCA.

The couple was ordered to have no contact with their children until they turn 18, and only with the consent of a court-appointed therapist. They are also not allowed to keep any animals during the years of supervision.