FAYETTEVILLE, N.C. (WNCN) – A mom tried to poison her two children over the weekend by putting lighter fluid in cream soda for them to drink, arrest warrants from Cumberland County say.
Octavia Robinson, 34, tried to poison her 6-year-old and 10-year-old sons on Sunday, according to arrest warrants from the Cumberland County Magistrate’s Office.
The arrest warrants said that Robinson created and allowed “a substantial risk of physical injury upon that child by other than accidental means by giving the juvenile lighter fluid for consumption.”
“As a mom I needed to do something,” neighbor Tracy Madison said.
Madison said one of Robinson’s two children banged on her door Sunday. Both families live at the Motel 8. The 10-year-old told her his mother had given him something to drink and it didn’t smell right.
Court documents confirm Madison called 911.
“As soon as you popped it, it hit your face, it was hurting your stomach,” Madison said of the liquid inside that soda bottle.
The incident happened just hours after Robinson was released from the hospital. Police said she was taken to be checked out after making violent threats.
Madison said she was caring for the boys while their mother was away and told them she’d be there for them.
“If your mother does anything that’s funny, come back to me and I will get her the help that she needed,” Madison said.
Madison said after the boy knocked, she went up to Robinson’s room and she wouldn’t let her in. That’s when she called police.
Madison said the 6-year-old boy had ingested some of that toxic soda, and was taken to the hospital.
Robinson was arrested Monday, according to the Cumberland County Detention Center.
In court, Robinson yelled at the judge. She told him she no longer wanted her kids.
Robinson is facing two misdemeanor child abuse charges and two felony charges of distribute food noxious/deleterious material, the detention center website said.
Police said the two kids remained in DSS custody.