What Happened To Sade Robinson?

The family of 19-year-old Sade Robinson, the Black teen tragically murdered in Milwaukee after a date with a white male suspect in April 2024, is enduring immense emotional turmoil as they prepare for a possible trial.

In an interview with WISN 12, published on Feb. 25, Robinson’s mother, Sheena Scarbrough, described being in a state of “trauma” and “shock” since the devastating loss of her daughter. Robinson, a college student at Concordia University, went on a date with 20-year-old Maxwell Anderson on April 1. She was reported missing immediately afterward. The following day, April 2, investigators discovered the 19-year-old’s severed leg on the beach at Warnimont Park, after a passerby made the grim discovery. Investigators also found her vehicle, which had “extreme fire damage,” and several other body parts scattered in the surrounding area a few days after.  

“Trauma. Shock. I can’t believe what’s going on. This is a waking nightmare,” Scarbrough told the outlet of how she has been feeling since that dreadful day. 

Anderson has since pleaded not guilty to first-degree intentional homicide, mutilating a corpse and arson for his alleged role in the death of Robinson. According to Fox News, he appeared in Milwaukee County court on Monday morning, Feb. 10, where a trial date was set for May 2025. He will remain on a $5 million bail.

Here’s what we know so far about the case.

Surveillance footage obtained by Fox 6 Now on Feb. 10 showed the teen on a date with Anderson at a bar and restaurant in Menomonee Valley. The two were seen sitting at the bar before leaving together. Court documents reveal that later that night, on April 1, they went to a bar on Water Street. Scarbrough never heard from her daughter after that day.

According to court documents obtained by the outlet, Robinson’s foot was later discovered near 30th and Galena, just a few blocks from where her burned-out car was found. Surveillance footage captured a man, believed to be Anderson, walking away from the area. He was later seen boarding a bus back to his home on the city’s south side.

When authorities searched Anderson’s residence, court documents revealed that investigators found swabs of stains and women’s clothing, some of which were hidden in the basement.

Scarbrough is hopeful that a task force dedicated to addressing cases of missing Black girls will be established.

In the wake of the devastating loss, the grieving mother is now determined to spare other families from experiencing the same heartbreak. She is collaborating with Senator LaTonya Johnson and Representative Sheila Stubbs to advocate for a statewide task force focused on Missing and Murdered African American Women and Girls.

According to the Wisconsin Examiner, the proposed task force is modeled after one within the Department of Justice that addresses missing and murdered Indigenous women. The goal is to examine the systemic factors that contribute to violence against Black women and girls. A bill to create the task force was passed by the state Assembly in February 2024, but it did not receive a vote in the Senate. Under the proposed bill, the task force would consist of 17 members, including state legislators, representatives from law enforcement, legal organizations, and groups that provide services to Black women and girls.

Scarbrough understands the heart-wrenching challenges families face when a loved one is first reported missing. When search efforts by the Milwaukee Police Department (MPD) stalled, she, along with family and friends, took matters into their own hands. They searched tirelessly across Milwaukee County in a desperate attempt to find Robinson. Their efforts led to the discovery of the teen’s blanket, abandoned in a wooded area near 31st and Galena, as reported by WISN 12. The discovery prompted MPD to return to the area where they found “additional human remains,” officials revealed during an April 12 press conference. 

The taskforce is critical as homicide rates among Black women in Wisconsin are high. A 2024 study found that between 2019 and 2022, Black women aged 25–44 years were 20 times more likely to die by homicide than white women.  Scarbrough is desperate to figure out why. 

“Sade is speaking to me, and she wants us to be able to help others,” Scarbrough said. “Listen to the stories of individuals like myself and what I’ve had to go through. And what many other individuals in the BIPOC community have to go through — and how strongly this is needed.”

SEE ALSO:

What Happened To Allisha Watts? Accused Killer Awaits Murder Trial In Girlfriend’s Death

What Happened To Na’Ziyah Harris? Family Of Missing Teen Wants Answers

What Happened To Sade Robinson? 
was originally published on
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