Father locked daughter to starve, son in cage

Robert S Buskey Jr., 35, of Schenectady, New York, pleaded guilty on January 23, 2026, to second-degree murder and criminal sale of a controlled substance to a child. The charges stem from the death of his five-year-old daughter, Charlotte, who starved to death in a locked bedroom. Her three-year-old brother was found confined in a makeshift cage within the same home.

Emergency responders discovered a scene described as a 'house of horrors' on April 14, 2024. Charlotte was found severely emaciated and dehydrated, with her body completely devoid of food. Investigators believe the children were neglected and malnourished for months, largely isolated from the outside world. Buskey installed and reinforced a lock on Charlotte's bedroom door, leaving her without food, water, or contact.

Buskey, a former amateur MMA super heavyweight fighter, reportedly spiraled into drug use. Both children tested positive for cocaine, which under New York law can constitute the sale of a controlled substance. Buskey is scheduled for sentencing on March 27, 2026, and faces a maximum sentence of 27 years to life in prison.