A Washington State woman sought court protection from her estranged husband, received it within 24 hours, yet was murdered alongside her boyfriend before law enforcement ever served the protective order—exposing a catastrophic breakdown in the system designed to save lives.
Story Snapshot
- Robert T. Child, 60, shot and killed estranged wife Anna Child, 46, and her boyfriend Jason Hilde, 46, with a shotgun in Hoodsport, Washington
- Murders occurred just one day after a Mason County judge approved a protection order banning Child from coming within 250 feet of his wife
- Law enforcement failed to serve the protection order before the killings, prompting an internal investigation into procedural failures
- Anna Child’s protection order filing documented her husband’s chilling threat: “If he can’t have me, no one will”
Protection Order Approved But Never Delivered
Anna Child filed for a protection order against her estranged husband Robert on March 9, explicitly stating she did not feel safe and documenting his possessive threat. A Mason County judge approved the order on March 10, prohibiting Robert Child from approaching within 250 feet of his wife. The very next day, March 11, Robert Child entered the Hoodsport home where Anna and Jason Hilde were present and fatally shot both with a shotgun. Mason County Sheriff’s Office confirmed the protection order had not been served to the suspect when the murders occurred, undermining the entire purpose of the protective measure.
Fatal Timeline of Failure
Law enforcement arrived at the residence around 7 p.m. on March 11 to discover Jason Hilde near the front door with a gunshot wound to the head and Anna Child on a stairway with gunshot wounds. Neighbor Caleb McGill heard the gunshots and immediately called 911. McGill encountered Robert Child leaving the scene, and the suspect made a spontaneous admission about the shooting, claiming “they pointed a gun at me, and I killed them.” Robert Child was arrested the following evening and booked into Mason County Jail facing two counts of first-degree murder and burglary charges.
Sheriff Orders Internal Investigation
Mason County Sheriff Ryan Spurling publicly acknowledged the protection order had not been served before the double homicide and ordered an internal investigation to determine whether law enforcement could have done more to prevent the deaths. This admission raises serious questions about resource allocation, coordination between judicial and law enforcement branches, and emergency response procedures when protection orders are granted in high-danger situations. The case demonstrates how bureaucratic delays and procedural gaps can render court orders meaningless, leaving vulnerable individuals exposed despite seeking legal protection through proper channels.
Pattern of Preventable Domestic Violence Deaths
This case reflects well-documented risk factors for intimate partner homicide: possessive controlling behavior, separation or divorce context, access to lethal weapons, and explicit threats of violence. Robert and Anna Child were in the process of divorcing when Anna began a new relationship with Jason Hilde, escalating Robert’s possessiveness into lethal rage. The perpetrator’s documented statement “If he can’t have me, no one will” exemplifies the controlling ideology associated with intimate partner violence. When victims take the brave step of seeking legal protection, the system’s failure to expedite service of those orders can prove fatal, undermining public trust in protective measures.
The internal investigation’s findings may prompt policy changes regarding protection order service timelines in Mason County and potentially statewide. Two lives were lost in what appears to be a preventable tragedy, exposing vulnerabilities in domestic violence protection mechanisms that demand immediate reform. The Hoodsport community and broader Washington State residents deserve accountability and assurance that protection orders will be treated with the urgency they require when lives hang in the balance.
Sources:
The News Tribune – Mason County Crime Report
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