AURORA, Colo. — The woman accused of calling a child abuse hotline to make a false claim for “revenge and retaliation” is in court this week for her felony trial.
Prosecutors claim Robin Niceta lied during a call to a child abuse hotline to get back at Danielle Jurinksy a day after Jurinsky was critical of former chief of police Vanessa Wilson.
The call was made one day after Jurinsky called Wilson "trash" on a local radio show.
Wilson and Niceta were in a relationship when the false child abuse call was made in January 2022.
Niceta, who was a child abuse caseworker in Arapahoe County at the time, was hit with a felony charge for making the false report.
The phone call, which was recorded and played in court, prompted child abuse investigators to zero in on Jurninsky, who ultimately was awarded a $3 million award for defamation stemming from the call.
“This is a case about revenge and retaliation,” prosecutor Daniel Cohen said during opening statements.
“Robin Niceta placed that phone call to the Department of Human Services knowing it was false. But more importantly, knowing what would happen,” Cohen said.
A defense attorney for Niceta alleged it was former chief Vanessa Wilson who made the call.
“I would submit it was the chief of police and it was the chief of police who had the ability to use that phone to sort of cover her own tracks,” Niceta’s defense attorney said in court.
Video of a police interview with Niceta was also played in court. In the interview, Niceta repeatedly denied knowing about the call made from her phone.
A manager who oversaw the child abuse investigation division in Arapahoe County testified she was able to find Niceta’s personal cell phone number connected to the initial call.
“I couldn’t eat, I couldn’t sleep,” a visibly upset Jurinsky said during the trial, adding the looming investigation put immense stress on her family.
Niceta is also facing a separate criminal case after prosecutors say she created a fake brain condition to get out of this trial.
The trial continues on Tuesday and could conclude before the end of the week.
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