On June 28, 1998, young Robbie from Splendora, Texas was set to celebrate his 8th birthday. However, fate had other, horrific, plans for the boy’s birthday.
Boy’s Birthday Takes Dark Turn
Robbie Middleton was the youngest child of Robby and Colleen Middleton and was wet to celebrate his 8th birthday. He was gifted a tent and went to show his friend. Sadly, his plans to celebrate the rest of the day with his family took a dark turn when he was headed home from his friend’s house.
Walking Home
Young Robbie was walking back home when he encountered Don Collins. Don Collin’s, who was 13 at the time, committed acts that would lead most people to believe he was pure evil. Collins bound young Robbie to a tree and doused him with gasoline. Incredibly, the young boy survived but remembered very little about the events.
“Stumbling out of the Woods”
Somehow, Robbie managed to stumble his way out of the woods, “with his skin melting away,” according to reports, and his mother found him, “unrecognizable.” Unfortunately, Robbie suffered from burns on around 99% of his body and faced health complications for the rest of his short life. Only the soles of his remained unburnt and he would spend the rest of his life undergoing over 150 operations and skin grafts.
Relearning to Walk
Moreover, Robbie had to relearn how to walk several times and was eventually diagnosed with skin cancer. Sadly, Robbie passed away in April of 2011, at only 20. However, he released a video identifying his attacker and sharing some of the gruesome details of his encounters with Don Collins.
Sharing His Horrific Story
The video was 27 minutes long and was released only 17 days before Robbie’s passing. Abhorrently, Robbie also shared that he’d encountered Collins a few times before his birthday and was sexually assaulted by Collin’s a few weeks before the gasoline attack. He recalled the events of his 8th birthday, stating: Don grabbed me by the shoulder and threw gas in my face, after that I don’t really remember anything.”
Although Robbie had been severely disfigured, he maintained a positive outlook. “The past is, well, the past. You must let it go,” he courageously reminded his family and friends.
His Mom Comments
Meanwhile, Robbie’s mother, Colleen, suffered unimaginable torment. She disclosed seeing a burnt “perfect outline” of her son’s body on the tree. Furthermore, she shared outside the courtroom that she’d had previously observed uncomfortable moments with her son’s attacker. “Even as a little child I would look at him and he was expressionless. His eyes were just blank,” she said. “He just had the deadest looking expression on his face and eyes, and they just looked cold.”
Avoiding Consequences
Purportedly, Collin’s had a history of violent and sexual crimes, once stomping a kitten to death, and failing to register as a sex offender. Although he’s had several encounters with the law, he was released several times without any charges.
Changing Luck
However, his luck would change in 2015. Following the video from Robbie’s deathbed, his attacker was taken into custody and put on trial, where things began to unravel for the “evil” being. While the attack on Robbie had taken place years prior, his death was deemed a homicide and his video presented evidence, allowing the legal system to take action.
Victims Step Forward
Throughout his trial, more and more people came forward to share their own negative experiences and sexual abuse bestowed upon them by Collins, with many noting Collins had threatened to set them on fire if they ever told anyone. Fortunately, these reports helped solidify the family’s case. Despite pleading not guilty, Collins was sentenced to 40 years in prison.
Justice is Served
The family would receive justice for the gruesome events that had taken place in their family and caused Robbie’s horrific suffering and untimely death. Although their heartbreak can’t be mended by money, the family has received some validation for their suffering.
Feeling Heard
Not only was Robbie’s attacker sentenced for his crimes, but the family was awarded $150 billion in civil suits. “I am sure Robert is with us and he is happy. He blamed Don, there was no doubt in his mind,” the grieving mother shared of the family’s small triumph on the road to moving past the heartbreak. “I am just going to enjoy this day and not worry about anything else. I am enjoying the moment, I am very happy.”
“We’re never going to see any money. What we thought was please let these people realise Robert was previously, like everybody else’s child, and he didn’t deserve this,” she continued. “When they came back with the $150billion, I was like: ‘They get it.’ And that made me feel so good.”