The Reason John Todd Hight Jr. Never Appeared on '16 and Pregnant' Is Harrowing
Updated Jan. 27 2020, 5:02 p.m. ET
Season 4 of 16 and Pregnant captured many devastating life stories, though perhaps none as unsettling as Kristina Robinson's.
The Texas-born adolescent met John Todd Hight Jr. in the spring of 2011. They only dated for three months, but the young woman spoke about the father of her first son, Lukas, with the utmost admiration during her appearances on the popular reality TV show. However, he never made it on-screen. What happened to Todd, an honorary cast member of 16 and Pregnant?
John Todd Hight Jr. passed away before the filming of '16 and Pregnant' began.
John Todd Hight Jr. lost his life at the Galveston Beach, Tex. on April 30, 2011.
He, Kristina, and another friend traveled to the location on a Saturday afternoon. Unaware of the fast-changing weather conditions, the group headed straight to the deep water. Incognisant of the red flag signs flying on the life coach stations, the group went on to swim around the most dangerous area, notes Starcasm.
Kristina Robinson, and her two sons, Layton and Lukas
As an interview with Thomas Mills, a lifeguard on duty reveals, the struggling teenagers garnered attention in a relatively short time frame.
The beach guard approached the group right as he spotted the first signs of panic. He managed to save Kristina and a 15-year-old boy who was accompanying them. However, he didn't know that Todd was also present. The frightened kids warned the guard only as they reached the shore.
"They all said he was swimming with them, but they didn’t see him go under [...] In the confusion, they think he may have gone under," Peter Davis, the Galveston Beach Patrol Chief told Starcasm.
Kristina was taken to the University of Texas Medical Branch John Sealy Hospital, while the guards set out to search the beach and the surrounding area for Todd.
Layton, Lukas, and Joseph
Kristina spoke with candor about the grieving period during her appearances on '16 and Pregnant.'
Todd's body was found three days after the accident near East Beach. The cause of death was drowning.
Kristina gave birth to Lukas on Sept. 26, 2011, a few months before the first episode of 16 and Pregnant was aired. The traumatized teenager spoke at great length about the young man while on the show, often referring to him as her "soulmate."
In addition to looking after a newborn and participating in Season 4 of 16 and Pregnant, Kristina had other difficulties to face as well. She filed legal complaints against Perez Hilton in March 2012, The Hollywood Reporter notes. Perez republished mean-spirited comments made by Tina Hight, Hight's mother, which Kristina appealed against on the grounds of defamation.
"I wonder if she cared at all. I have only been able to hold my baby boy's son 4 times...it ain't right," Tina argued in one of the comments.
"They killed him," went another post.
"We feel like they all planned this [...] I wonder if she cared at all," Tina wrote.
According to The Hollywood Reporter, the lawsuit failed to make it to trial.
