WASHINGTON, Ill. – A deeply disturbing case involving a 43-year-old woman accused of grooming, sexually abusing, and impregnating her teenage daughter’s 14-year-old ex-boyfriend has stalled in the legal system, sparking widespread outrage and frustration in this central Illinois community. The woman, Robyn Polston, has since given birth to the child but remains free, as the Washington Police Department says it cannot press charges until a DNA test confirms the teenager’s paternity—a result that could still be six months away due to severe backlogs at the state crime lab.

The allegations against Polston are shocking. She is accused of manipulating the boy’s guardians to allow him to move into her home, engaging in a months-long sexual relationship with the minor, and then brazenly presenting him as the proud father in a maternity photoshoot where she allegedly lied about his age.

As the alleged victim, now 15, attempts to navigate life as a high school student in a nearby town, Polston remains uncharged. The extraordinary delay has led to fierce criticism of the Washington Police Department and the Tazewell County State’s Attorney’s Office, with many residents arguing that if the gender roles were reversed, a male suspect would have been arrested immediately. The case has become a flashpoint for debate over potential double standards in the justice system and the critical failures of a backlogged forensic system to provide timely answers in serious criminal cases.

The Disturbing Allegations Against Robyn Polston
The story that has emerged from the investigation paints a chilling picture of alleged manipulation and abuse. According to sources close to the case, the 14-year-old boy was the ex-boyfriend of Robyn Polston’s teenage daughter. The relationship between Polston and the boy allegedly began after he and her daughter had broken up.

Investigators believe Polston orchestrated a situation to gain unchecked access to the minor. She is accused of misrepresenting her intentions to the boy’s legal guardians, his grandparents, convincing them to allow him to move into her residence under false pretenses. Once he was living under her roof and isolated from his family, Polston allegedly began a sexual relationship with him that lasted for several months.

During this time, she became pregnant.

The alleged brazenness of her conduct has fueled much of the public’s anger. Several photos have surfaced online that appear to be from a professional maternity photoshoot. In the images, Polston is visibly pregnant and posing alongside the 14-year-old boy. The photographer who was hired for the shoot later told investigators that Polston claimed the boy was 25 years old but explained his youthful appearance by saying he “just had a baby face.”

After the child was born, Polston’s disturbing alleged actions continued. She reportedly had the baby baptized and gave the infant the teenage victim’s last name, further cementing a public connection between the boy and the child.

In another instance that has since drawn scrutiny, Polston allegedly joined a local breastfeeding support group on social media. In one of her posts, she reportedly shared details about the baby’s father, including his height and weight, which were consistent with that of the 14-year-old victim. It was this trail of bizarre and public actions that reportedly brought the situation to the attention of concerned community members and, eventually, law enforcement.

The Investigation Stalls: A Forensic Bottleneck
The Washington Police Department confirmed that it launched an investigation months ago and that a DNA sample was collected from the teenage boy approximately four months ago to definitively establish paternity. However, that crucial piece of evidence is now stuck in a massive forensic bottleneck.

Like many states, Illinois’s network of state-run crime labs is facing severe backlogs, with a shortage of staff and an overwhelming number of cases. The wait times for DNA analysis, which is a complex and time-consuming process, can stretch for many months, and in some cases, over a year.

Police officials have expressed their own frustration but say their hands are tied. “We understand the public’s concern and desire for a swift resolution,” a spokesperson for the Washington Police Department stated. “However, in order to file charges that can be successfully prosecuted, the State’s Attorney’s Office requires confirmation of paternity, which can only be established by the official results of the DNA test. We cannot move forward with an arrest until we have that evidence in hand.”

Investigators have been told that due to the current backlog, it could take an additional six months—a total of ten months from when the sample was collected—to receive the results. Until then, the case remains in a frustrating state of limbo.

“If the Roles Were Reversed…”: Community Outrage and a Perceived Double Standard
The delay has been met with incredulity and anger by many residents of Washington and the surrounding communities. The central point of contention for many is the perception of a glaring gender-based double standard in the handling of the case.

Critics argue that if a 43-year-old man—a teacher, coach, or any male figure of authority—was accused of impregnating a 14-year-old girl under similar circumstances, he would have been arrested on the spot. They contend that the existence of the baby, combined with the testimony of the minor, the maternity photos, and other circumstantial evidence, should have been enough to establish probable cause for an immediate arrest, with the DNA test serving as corroborating evidence for trial.

“It is an absolute failure of justice,” said one community advocate who has been following the case. “Our system is supposed to protect children, but in this instance, it seems to be protecting the alleged adult perpetrator. The idea that a man can be arrested based on an accusation, but a woman who has literally given birth to a child under these alleged circumstances remains free, is baffling. It sends a terrible message to victims and to the community.”

The frustration has been directed at both the Washington Police Department for its public-facing role and the Tazewell County State’s Attorney’s Office, which ultimately makes the decision on whether to file charges. The lack of action has left many feeling that the system is failing its most vulnerable.

The Victim’s New Reality and a Community on Edge
Lost in the legal and procedural debates is the reality of the now 15-year-old boy at the center of the case. He has since been removed from Polston’s home and is reportedly living with relatives in a nearby town, where he is trying to maintain some semblance of a normal life by attending high school.

He is now grappling with a complex trauma that few can comprehend: the psychological aftermath of the alleged grooming and abuse, the public nature of the scandal, and the reality that he is the father of a child born under these horrific circumstances. Support systems are in place to help him navigate this incredibly difficult period.

For the community of Washington, the case has been an unsettling ordeal. The story of Robyn Polston has become a cautionary tale whispered about in local coffee shops and debated heatedly in online forums. It has exposed the frustrating limitations of the justice system and has left a cloud of unease over a town that now waits, impatiently, for a DNA result that they hope will finally bring accountability and a measure of justice for a boy whose childhood was stolen. The investigation remains officially active and ongoing.