An Illinois woman is facing multiple felony charges after allegedly giving birth to a child conceived with a 14-year-old boy.
Robyn Polston, 43, has been charged with two counts of criminal sexual assault involving a victim between the ages of 13 and 17, as well as two counts of possessing child pornography, according to her court docket. Each of these charges carries a potential prison sentence of up to 15 years.
The allegations stem from Polston’s reported abuse of one of her daughter’s friends, according to a probable cause affidavit.
Tazewell County Assistant State’s Attorney Cassandra Wilkins wrote in the affidavit that her office became aware of an ongoing investigation by the Washington Police Department after receiving a report in January 2025, when Polston gave birth to a baby.
A week later, investigators obtained the infant’s birth certificate and discovered that Polston had given the child the same middle and last name as the alleged teenage victim, according to the affidavit. When questioned, Polston reportedly claimed that the father was “a man in his twenties named Brian,” whom she hadn’t seen since the baby’s birth.
Investigators soon focused on the alleged victim, learning that he and Polston’s daughter attended a junior high dance in May 2023, where Polston was a chaperone. The boy later moved away but returned for a visit in April 2024 — about 40 weeks before Polston gave birth. He visited again in June and then permanently moved back in August 2024 to live with a friend’s family, according to the affidavit.
Authorities also found a large collection of sexually explicit images and videos allegedly showing Polston and the teenage boy together. A DNA test confirmed that Polston and the alleged victim are the child’s biological parents, according to the affidavit.
Polston was arrested earlier this week and is being held without bail. She has not yet entered a plea and is scheduled to be formally arraigned on Dec. 4, according to court records. Her attorney did not respond to a request for comment.
