Chester parents charged with murder of 1-year-old son

CHESTER, Pa. (WPVI) -- A Delaware County mother and father are facing charges in connection with the death of their 1-year-old child.

The child's mother, Cynthia Robinson, is being charged with first-degree murder. The father, Frank Walton Sr., is charged with third-degree murder, involuntary manslaughter and other related offenses, according to police.

Chester police responded to a home in the 900 block of Buller Street just before 11 p.m. on November 5, 2025, for a report of an unresponsive child in cardiac arrest with possible head trauma.

When officers arrived, Robinson was allegedly attempting to give a young boy CPR. The child, identified as Frank Walton Jr., was taken to Nemours Children's Hospital, where he was later pronounced dead.

"What we have is a mother who beat her son to death and a father who let it happen," said Delaware County DA Tanner Rouse.

Walton, along with three other children, were also at the home at the time of the incident, according to police.

During the police investigation, detectives learned that Robinson allegedly had a history of domestic abuse, as well as substance abuse.

According to the criminal complaint, Robinson was convicted of a felony for endangering the welfare of a child in 2023, and even had her kids taken away.

The day before the boy's death, police say a caseworker for Children and Youth Services (CYS) reported seeing the child, noting discoloration under his eye. Robinson allegedly told the caseworker that the child had walked into a coffee table.

Investigators say a witness also told them that Robinson was seen allegedly hitting the child that same day, but begged the witness not to report her.

Documents also reveal she threatened the victim's 5-year-old sister not to say anything about the beatings.

"Her mother told her not to tell anyone what happened to 'junior,' and that her mother told her to keep secrets about her brother," said Rouse.

Investigators say she even tried to blame the child's death on the kids.

"Initially, she sought to blame her other children for it. She said the 2-year-old pushed him down the stairs.

Rouse says Walton Sr. also tried to cover up the murder by giving false statements.

Following the child's death, a search warrant was conducted at the home, where blood evidence was found, including on a highchair, steps and other places around the residence.

An autopsy revealed the cause of death was blunt force trauma to the head and torso. The medical examiner noted numerous other areas of injury that appeared to be in various stages of healing.

The report also stated that if the child had received immediate medical attention, he might have survived.

But the question remains, why were Robinson and Walton allowed to have custody of the kids? The district attorney says it's something they are looking into.

"Anytime you have a child who has been beaten before that winds up dead, I'm deeply concerned about that," said Rouse.