We have a very upsetting story to report out of Illinois this week.
(So please consider this a warning that the following article contains allegations of sexual abuse and other disturbing details.)
A 44-year-old mother named Robyn Polston was arrested this week on two counts of criminal sexual assault with a victim between the ages of 13 and 17 and two counts of possession of child pornography.
The arrest stems from allegations that Polston had a child by a 14-year-old boy who was identified as a friend of her daughter’s.
According to court filings obtained by People, Polston met her alleged victim when she chaperoned a school dance at which he was her daughter’s date.
The boy and his family moved away shortly after that dance, but he returned for a visit about 40 weeks before the birth of Polston’s child.
Police say the perpetrator made little effort to hide her crime, even giving her child the same middle and last name as the alleged victim.
Polston insisted the father “was a man in his twenties named Brian” who she had not seen since the birth of her child.
An affidavit issued ahead of Polston’s arrest indicates that a DNA test was performed, and the teenage victim was identified as the baby’s father.
True crime bloggers who had been watching the situation closely were overjoyed by the news that Polston had been arrested.
Many felt that the investigation dragged on for far too long, and the suspect should have been apprehended months ago.
Whatever the case, Polston is now behind bars. She’s due in court for an arraignment on December 4.
People and other outlets say they have reached out to Polston’s legal team for comment but have not yet received a response.
If you suspect that someone you know has been a victim of child abuse, call the Childhelp National Child Abuse Hotline at 1-800-4-A-Child or 1-800-422-4453, or go to www.childhelp.org.
All calls are toll-free and confidential.