Mom accused in Trinity River baby killing tried to push another child off bridge
About four years before police believe she killed her baby and herself by intentionally driving her car into the Trinity River, Melanie Robinson tried either to push another son off of a bridge or convince the boy to jump, according to state district court records in Tarrant County.
Fort Worth police arrested Robinson in connection with the June 5, 2021, bridge incident on South Freeway where it leads to an I-20 ramp. The boy’s age is not clear. At the time, he was younger than 15, according to court records.
Robinson pleaded guilty to endangering a child with criminal negligence in the bridge case. In April 2022, Judge Ruben Gonzalez, who presides in the 432nd District Court, placed her on 10 years of deferred adjudication probation, according to the Tarrant County District Clerk record.
The probation conditions initially called for Robinson to have supervised visitation with her children, no unsupervised contact with children, and no harmful or injurious contact with children, including the son involved in the bridge matter.
Thirteen months later, a magistrate made one of the conditions more restrictive.
“Ms. Robinson was court-ordered to have no contact with any minors unless permitted by the court. Ms. Robinson was expected to adhere to that condition as of the date of the order,” Cobi Tittle, the director of the Tarrant County Community Supervision and Corrections Department, wrote in response to a reporter’s question.
It is not clear what prompted the amended probation condition, but it was around the time that Robinson gave birth to another baby boy, Jonas Allen, in May 2023.
Jonas and Robinson both died after the mother drove a Dodge Avenger sedan into the Trinity River last month. Jonas was 1 year old and would have celebrated his 2nd birthday in May.
Had Robinson survived after driving into the river, Fort Worth police detectives concluded that they would have arrested the 38-year-old mother on capital murder of a person under 10 years old in Jonas’ death.
As she drove from Beach Street into the water on March 22, Robinson came close to striking a pier on which there were two people. One of them reported in a 911 call that a baby was in the car.
Fort Worth police officers went into the river, pulled Robinson out of the water and began performing lifesaving measures before she was taken to a hospital, authorities have said. Robinson died in the ICU at Texas Health Harris Methodist Hospital three days after the killing.
A fire department diver found Jonas’ body in the river the day after Robinson was rescued.
It is not clear who was supposed to be caring for Jonas at the time of his death.
The Texas Department of Family and Protective Services or its case management contractors had a history with Robinson, according to Tiffani Butler, a Texas DFPS spokesperson. She declined to release details.
“We have now opened an investigation regarding Jonas Allen,” Butler wrote in a message to a reporter on Friday, April 11.
Jasmine Robinson told a television station that she spoke with her sister a couple of hours before the car went into the water when Melanie picked up Jonas from his grandmother’s house.
Jasmine Robinson on Wednesday declined a reporter’s interview request.
The Tarrant County Medical Examiner’s Office has not released the cause or manner of the deaths, conclusions that are in some cases informed by a police investigation.
This story was originally published April 10, 2025 at 11:47 AM.
