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Father's Drug-Fueled Neglect Leaves Daughter to Die
27 Jan
Summary
- Father locked daughter in room for months without food or water.
- He pleaded guilty to murder and selling drugs to a child.
- Daughter died of starvation and dehydration; both children tested positive for cocaine.
Robert S. Buskey Jr., 35, of Schenectady, is set to be sentenced on March 27, facing 27 years to life in prison. He has pleaded guilty to second-degree murder and criminal sale of a controlled substance to a child. Buskey admitted to locking his 5-year-old daughter, Charlotte, in a bedroom without food or water for months, ultimately causing her death.
Authorities responded to Buskey's home on April 14, 2024, finding a scene described as a "house of horrors." Charlotte was discovered in an emaciated state, locked in a bedroom. Her younger brother was found in a makeshift cage in the dining room. Both children had been isolated and neglected, with Charlotte dying from starvation and dehydration.
During his plea, Buskey acknowledged recklessly creating a grave risk of death to his daughter with depraved indifference. He also admitted to giving a narcotic drug to his young son. Investigators found the bedroom door had been reinforced with tape to prevent Charlotte's escape. Both children tested positive for cocaine.
