The Latest, Grisly Development on the Search for Sade Robinson’s Remains

Updated as of 6/20/2024 at 4:00 p.m. ET

Last month, a dismembered arm washed up from Lake Michigan on the shore of Illinois. The Lake County, Michigan Coroner’s Office says the remains match the DNA of a Black girl whose body has been found in pieces since her disappearance.

Sade Robinson’s arm was found May 11 by someone walking along Waukegan Municipal Beach, the coroner’s office stated. The location is 50 miles from Milwaukee, where Robinson lived and was last seen. The office notified her family of the DNA test results Tuesday, per NBC.

“On behalf of the Lake County Coroner’s Office, I want to express our sincere condolences to Sade’s family and friends who continue to endure this tragic loss,” Coroner Jennifer Banek said in a statement, via NBC.

In response to the findings, family attorney Verona Swanigan said Robinson’s mother, Sheena Scarbrough, feels like “her heart is being cut out” after every update in the investigation into her daughter’s murder.

This latest development in the case led Scarbrough to take matters into her own hands, demanding more information as to how her daughter was found in pieces along the shores of Lake Michigan.

Last month, Scarbrough’s attorney informed FOX6 News she filed requests to the authorities to formally demand the truth of what happened to 19-year-old Sade Robinson. Specifically, they’re seeking answers to whether an arm that washed up on the Waukegan, Ill. side of Lake Michigan belongs to Robinson.

Robinson’s family told reporters authorities notified them last week of the floating remains. They won’t know for sure if the arm belongs to Robinson until DNA tests are conducted. However, the attorney criticized the police investigation, saying the discovery of a body part potentially belonging to Robinson in a completely different state was “entirely too much,” the report says.

Also, 6th Ward Alderman Keith Turner was slammed for allegedly posting a picture of the severed arm on his Facebook page. Scarbrough previously made a statement saying she wanted him to be held accountable or reprimanded.

She wasn’t the only one demanding accountability.

Read Mayor Ann Taylor’s response via FOX6:

“Alderman Keith Turner at no time contacted the Waukegan Police command staff or anyone within Waukegan City government to ask about this incident before posting the photo of the remains on Facebook. The City did not provide Ald. Turner with the photograph, and he was never given permission to post the photo on his Facebook page. Individual Aldermen are not authorized to speak on behalf of the City, much less for the Police Department. On behalf of the City of Waukegan, I find the posting of an image of this type to be morally disgusting, socially irresponsible, and extremely cruel to the victim’s family. I hope all Waukeganites join me in prayer for the victim of this horrific crime and for the victim’s family.”

Previously, authorities confirmed that the other remains found on the Milwaukee side of Lake Michigan were indeed that of Robinson’s.

The man she was last seen with, 33-year-old Maxwell Anderson, was arrested and charged with first-degree intentional homicide, mutilating a corpse and arson, per FOX 32 Chicago.

“Anderson needs to confess, and his parents need to come out of the shadows and get him to stand up for the truth. I want my daughter’s remains! Sade should not have to spend eternity lost because of Anderson’s evil agenda,” wrote attorney Swanigan on behalf of Robinson’s mother per a statement.