Hiawayi Robinson was a bright and cheerful 8-year-old girl from Prichard, Alabama, who had a promising future ahead of her. She was a third-grader at Collins-Rhodes Elementary School and loved to dance, sing, and play with her friends. She had a birthday coming up and was looking forward to celebrating it with her family. But on September 16, 2014, her life was cut short by a horrific act of violence committed by her own father, Hiawatha Robinson Jr.
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The Disappearance of Hiawayi Robinson
On the day she went missing, Hiawayi had come back home from school at around 3:30 PM and talked to her grandmother on the phone about her birthday present. Her grandmother later told investigators that she believed Hiawayi got off the phone and then went to her cousin’s home to meet her father, who wanted to give her money for her birthday. He had asked her to come up to her cousin’s house which was in the same apartment complex.
The last time Hiawayi was seen alive was on a convenience store surveillance video. The video showed her entering the store at 4 PM, buying something, and then leaving. She stayed inside for six minutes. What exactly happened after she left the store remains a mystery, but Hiawayi never made it home to her apartment.
Her grandmother reported her missing a little after 10 PM that night. Two days of an extensive search ended in tragedy when Hiawayi’s body was found about a mile from her home behind an abandoned building. She was lying supine and the lower half of her body was undressed. She had been sexually assaulted and the cause of death was asphyxiation. It was later revealed that Hiawayi had been sexually abused in the past. A clear bead, one that had fallen off of Hiawayi’s braids, and a piece of duct tape were recovered from the scene. The investigators now had a homicide investigation on their hands.
The Arrest and Conviction of Hiawatha Robinson Jr.
The police soon identified Hiawatha Robinson Jr. as the prime suspect in his daughter’s murder. They had several pieces of evidence that linked him to the crime. First, they found out that he had been driving a maroon SUV on the day of Hiawayi’s disappearance, which matched the description of a vehicle seen near the convenience store where Hiawayi was last seen. Second, they obtained a search warrant at the home of Hiawatha’s girlfriend, where he had been living at the time, and found a surveillance system that recorded his movements on the day of the crime. The footage showed that he had left the house at 3:45 PM and returned at 4:30 PM, which coincided with the time frame of Hiawayi’s abduction and murder. Third, they collected DNA evidence and hair from the scene that matched Hiawatha’s profile.
The police arrested Hiawatha on December 16, 2014, and charged him with felony murder and sodomy. According to the prosecutor, Hiawatha had raped his daughter and suffocated her to death while engaging in the act. The motive for the crime was unclear, but the prosecutor suggested that Hiawatha had a history of sexual abuse and incest in his family. Hiawatha denied the charges and claimed that he loved his daughter and would never hurt her. He also said that he had an alibi and that he was at his girlfriend’s house when Hiawayi went missing.
The trial began in November 2016 and lasted for two weeks. The prosecution presented the evidence that they had gathered, including the surveillance footage, the DNA and hair samples, the duct tape, and the bead. They also called several witnesses, including Hiawayi’s mother, grandmother, cousin, teachers, and friends, who testified about Hiawayi’s relationship with her father and her personality. The defense tried to cast doubt on the evidence and the witnesses, and suggested that Hiawatha was being framed by the police. They also argued that Hiawayi could have been killed by someone else, and that there were other men who had access to her.
The jury deliberated for about four hours before reaching a verdict. They found Hiawatha guilty of felony murder, but not guilty of sodomy. The judge sentenced him to 100 years in prison, with the possibility of parole after 15 years. Hiawatha maintained his innocence and appealed his conviction, but his appeal was denied by the Alabama Court of Criminal Appeals in 2019.
The Legacy of Hiawayi Robinson
Hiawayi Robinson’s murder shocked and saddened the community of Prichard and the state of Alabama. Her family and friends remembered her as a sweet, smart, and beautiful girl who had a bright smile and a big heart. They held vigils, rallies, and fundraisers in her honor and demanded justice for her. They also advocated for the passage of a law that would speed up the search for missing children in Alabama.
The law, named the Hiawayi Robinson Alert Law, was signed by Governor Kay Ivey in 2018. It requires the Alabama Law Enforcement Agency to issue an alert for any missing child under the age of 18 who is believed to be in imminent danger of serious bodily harm or death. The alert would be broadcasted on TV, radio, and social media, and would include the child’s name, description, photo, and last known location. The law also provides funding and training for law enforcement agencies to handle missing child cases.
The law aims to prevent the tragedy that befell Hiawayi Robinson from happening to another child. It also honors her memory and legacy as a beloved daughter, sister, friend, and student. Hiawayi Robinson’s cause of death was a brutal and senseless act of violence, but her life was a precious and meaningful gift that touched many people. She will always be remembered and missed by those who knew and loved her.
