A Washington woman is accused of conceiving a child with an underage teen, according to police.
On Feb. 6, Washington police received a report regarding Robyn Polston, 43, who had given birth to a child in January, according to an affidavit from the Tazewell County Circuit Clerk’s Office. A detective was able to obtain a birth certificate for the child one week later, but the form didn’t have any information on the father.
Polston said the father of the child was a 20-something man named Brian and that she hadn’t seen him since the child was born, according to police.
After the detective obtained DNA samples from Polston and the baby, the officer was able to obtain DNA from the underage teen as well. The birth certificate listed the child with the same middle and last name as the teen, who was between the ages of 13 and 17 years old.
After examination by the Illinois State Police, it was confirmed that Polston and the teen were the baby’s parents.
Detectives also spoke with the teen’s father, stepmother and grandparents, learning that the teen and Polston’s daughter had attended a school dance chaperoned by Polston in May 2023. He left the area shortly thereafter, but returned in the spring of 2024, purportedly to see a “friend” for visits.
The teen permanently moved back to Washington in August to live with the “friend’s” family.
Police eventually obtained a search warrant for the Google accounts on the teen’s cellphone, which had already been seized. The data from Google showed a large number of sexually explicit photos and videos depicting Polston and the minor, according to court documents. It was determined that Polston was responsible for taking the photos, according to the affidavit.
Polston was arrested Monday and charged with two counts of criminal sexual assault of a person between the ages of 13 and 17 and two counts of child pornography.
At a hearing Tuesday, prosecutors with the Tazewell County State’s Attorney’s Office were able to establish probable cause, also filing a petition to deny Polston pre-trial release as she would pose a “real and present threat” to the safety of the community.
Tazewell County Circuit Judge Derek Asbury approved the petition, also noting that Polston had been obstructive during the investigation by Washington police. He did order that the Tazewell County Jail provide her with accommodations to nurse her infant child.
Arraignment in the case is set for Dec. 4 at 9 a.m.
This article originally appeared on Journal Star: Affidavit details allegations against Washington woman accused of sexual assault
Reporting by Zach Roth, Peoria Journal Star / Journal Star
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
