SCHENECTADY, NY – A Schenectady man faces decades in prison after admitting to locking his 5-year-old daughter in a bedroom for months, withholding food and water until she died, while he used drugs and played video games in other parts of the home.

Robert S. Buskey Jr., 35, entered guilty pleas to charges of second-degree murder and criminal sale of a controlled substance to a child during a court appearance on Jan. 23. According to Schenectady County prosecutors, Buskey is expected to receive a combined sentence of 27 years to life when he returns to court for sentencing on March 27.

Investigators described the residence as a scene of extreme neglect when first responders arrived on April 14. Emergency personnel had been called for a report of an unresponsive child and discovered the body of Buskey’s daughter, Charlotte, who had been locked in a windowless bedroom and deprived of necessities for months.

Authorities reported the home contained a makeshift cage in the dining room, apparently used to confine Buskey’s 3-year-old son, adding to the grim picture of the siblings’ living conditions. Both children had become completely isolated, with no record of outside contact, medical care, or schooling in the months leading up to the discovery.

Further investigation revealed that Buskey had secured the bedroom door with a lock on the outside and had even reinforced it with tape to prevent Charlotte from escaping. Inside the sparsely furnished room, Charlotte had only a small pack-and-play to sleep in—so cramped that she was forced to lie curled up to fit.

Despite the rest of the home having food available, boxes of which were found just beyond Charlotte’s locked door, officials say the child received nothing to eat or drink during her confinement. An autopsy concluded that she died from starvation and dehydration, her body showing no trace of recent nourishment.

Toxicology results later confirmed both children had been exposed to cocaine. As part of his plea, Buskey admitted to supplying narcotics to his son, which resulted in the additional criminal charge.

The District Attorney’s Office confirmed that Buskey has waived his right to appeal the conviction and will be barred by court order from contacting his surviving son.

Family members had ceased seeing the children in the months before Charlotte’s death, according to authorities, and forensic evidence suggests both children suffered prolonged periods of neglect. Investigators allege Buskey’s preoccupation with drug use and video games led to the children’s total isolation inside the deteriorating conditions of his home.

Court records indicate Buskey had a background as an amateur mixed martial arts competitor in local events prior to his arrest, but he has remained detained since April.

Efforts to reach legal representation for Buskey were unsuccessful on Tuesday.