Tazewell County Sheriff's Office
When confronted, police said the woman told them her new baby's father was a man in his 20s named Brian -- before their investigation allegedly uncovered explicit images involving her and the teen, burner phones, and ultimately DNA test results.
A woman in Illinois was arrested after giving birth to a child authorities believe was fathered by a 14-year-old boy. She now faces up to 60 years behind bars on two counts of criminal sexual assault with a victim aged 13-17 and two counts of possession of child pornography, according to a court docket reviewed by People.
Robyn Polston, 43, gave birth in January 2025 and was almost immediately under investigation by the Washington Police Department, according to an affidavit presented to court on Tuesday from Tazewell County Assistant State's Attorney Cassandra Wilkins' office, as covered by 25 News Now.
According to local Fox affiliate WYZZ, the department had received a complaint from a resident who'd alleged that the defendant had "engaged in a sexual relationship with a minor." That complaint triggered multiple search warrants and a months-long investigation.
The investigation led police to the child's birth certificate about a week later, where they discovered that Polston had given her newborn the same middle and last name as the alleged victim.
When she was confronted with this connection, per the probable cause affidavit filed on Tuesday, per WYZZ, the new mom allegedly told them the father "was a man in his twenties named Brian." Police reported that she told them he was out of the picture and had not seen her or his baby since the birth.
Investigators also looked into the alleged victim, interviewing both him and his parents, where they found an unexpected connection between the 14-year-old boy and the hairstylist mother of two. Apparently, Polston had been a chaperone at a junior high dance her daughter attended in May 2023, per the report, and the young teen had been her daughter's date.
While he had reportedly moved away shortly after that dance, police said the boy returned to "visit a friend" in April 2024, which was approximately 40 weeks before Polston gave birth. He also came back for another visit in June 2024, according to the affidavit, before permanently moving back two months later to live with the family of a "friend."
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View StoryNext, the investigation went digital, where police reported finding "a large number of sexually explicit images and videos depicting [the alleged victim] and Polston" on the teen's phone, according to the court filing, which alleged that some of the photos had clearly been taken by the defendant.
Police are also alleging that Polston and the teen used burner phones and fake names to communicate, and that she tried to get him involved in a coverup attempt.
And finally, DNA tests came back for the new baby, allegedly confirming that Polston and the 14-year-old boy were the parents.
Polston was arrested Monday, but has yet to enter a plea ahead of her December 4 arraignment, according to the court docket.
Prosecutors in court Tuesday successfully argued that she can't be counted on to avoid contact with the minor, adding that Polston's mother and sister enabled her communications with him.
In response, Associate Judge Derek Asbury agreed that she was unlikely to comply with any judicial orders, per 25 News Now, and ordered that she stay in jail while her case is pending.
