Father of slain Jersey girl sues teen killer's parents

The father of a South Jersey girl who was strangled for her bicycle has sued the parents of the teenager who admitted killing her. In the lawsuit filed Sept. 23 in Gloucester County, Anthony Pasquale says that Anita Saunders and Alonzo Robinson share responsibility for the death of his 12-year-old daughter, Autumn, at the hands of their son, Justin Robinson, the South Jersey Times reported Tuesday. Pasquale's lawyer says in the complaint that Saunders and Robinson knew, or should have known, that Justin might have been stealing bicycles and that he had emotional problems. "If you're going to raise a murderer, you're going to take responsibility for it," Kathleen Bonczyk, Pasquale's lawyer, said. Justin, now 16, pleaded guilty in August to aggravated manslaughter. He was given a 17-year sentence and must spend at least 14 1/2 years in prison before he can be paroled. His older brother, Dante, 18, was released recently after serving a short juvenile sentence for obstruction. While Pasquale is seeking damages for pain and suffering, Bonczyk said the lawsuit is not primarily about money. "This is not about money. It's not about anything but raising awareness of what happened to Autumn," Bonczyk said. Autumn, who lived in Clayton, N.J., disappeared in October 2012. Her body was discovered in a recycling bin next door to Justin Robinson's home, and prosecutors said he lured her there to discuss trading bicycle parts and then strangled her.