Mother of dead Dayton boy says she warned he was in danger, wishes she kidnapped him

Credit: DaytonDailyNews

The mother of a 10-year-old Dayton boy who died after what police described as extreme child abuse says she tried to warn authorities that her son was in danger and now wishes she just would have gone ahead and kidnapped him.

Robin Collins, the mother of Takoda Collins, told this news organization that she called the police and filed documents with a Wisconsin court, begging them to get Takoda out of the home where authorities have since said the boy was locked naked in an attic, emotionally and physically abused, raped and eventually either held underwater or forced to drink a lot of water before he died Dec. 13.

Takoda Collins, 10, died earlier this month in Dayton after what authorities say was "extreme" child abuse.

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‘Locked in the attic naked:’ Dayton 10-year-old abused before death, police say

The boy’s father, Al-Mutahan McLean, faces four counts endangering children, two counts felonious assault, and one count rape of a child younger than 13, after indictments in Montgomery County Common Pleas Court.

Also, Amanda Hinze, 28, and Jennifer Ebert, 25, two sisters who authorities said both lived in the home, are charged with four counts of endangering children. All three are due back in court on Tuesday for an arraignment, and law enforcement said they are continuing to investigate the case.

Al-Mutahan McLean, left, Jennifer Ebert, center, and Amanda Hinze face charges in connection with the death of McLean’s 10-year-old son Takoda Collins. Dayton police say the child was severely abused before his death.  

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Robin Collins, who lives in Wisconsin, said she knew something was wrong and wanted someone in power to do something about it.

“I called and did welfare checks on him,” Robin Collins said. “I called the cops down there, and just this past summer I was trying to get custody back again, and nobody did anything about it.”

This news outlet has attempted to get court records from Dane County Circuit Court in Wisconsin as it relates to Takoda’s custody but was informed much of the case is confidential. However, according to online court record dockets, Robin Collins in May filed an “order to show cause and affidavit of contempt” in the case.

Robin Collins said she filed that because she believed McLean was mistreating Takoda. She also says she called Montgomery County Regional Dispatch numerous times, asking them the check on Takoda’s well-being.

That’s supported by public records obtained by the Daily News last week.

Records show authorities aware of possible abuse involving dead 10-year-old in 2018

“Robin continues to call in well checks. Takoda is being taken care of and still has behavioral issues. Al appears to be taken care of his needs with no concerns,” a dispatch log from May 14 says. “He explained that Robin was given no custodial rights but he still allows Takoda to speak with her and she makes promises that she never follows through with. Dispatch attempted to call Robin back but there was no answer.”

Looking back, Robin Collins says she should have acted instead of hoping someone with power would do something.

“I wish I would have just gone down there and kidnapped him, to be honest. Because that was the only option I had was to go to jail and take him from his father,” she said. “I really wish I would have just gone and got him.”

Robin Collins said she already had spent some time in jail in connection to Takoda. According to court online court records, Collins was charged with child abuse — intentionally cause harm, battery and neglect of a child in Dane County in 2009.

Robin Collins told the newspaper she was charged after her boyfriend hit her while she was holding 11-month-old Takoda. The Daily News has requested those court documents from Dane County last week but hasn’t received them.

Robin Collins said because of the abuse case, child protective services in Wisconsin took Takoda away from her, prompting her drug use. She said her battle with drug addiction led to more criminal charges against her, and she went to prison after the sentence on the original case was revoked.

She said she has been off heroin for a year and currently lives with her 8-year-old daughter in a good home. She said she could have provided the same home for Takoda.

Robin Collins noted that McLean also wasn’t without runs-ins with the law when he was awarded custody of Takoda.

“I don’t understand how they let him leave with my son,” Robin Collins said. “They still gave him this baby and let him leave the state (of Wisconsin).”

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