The stepmother of a five year old boy has appeared in court after being charged with his murder.
Weighing just 18 kilograms at the time of his death, Texan woman Crystal Williams says her stepson Josiah Williams was a fussy eater and maintains her innocence in his death despite strong evidence suggesting otherwise.
Josiah during healthier times. Source: KENS5 News.
Living with his father, Charleston Williams, stepmother and step-grandmother, Gloria Proo, Josiah died just two days after Christmas in 2012.
According to a medical examiner, Josiah was found dehydrated, emaciated and with two black eyes, cuts all over his body and deep gashes inside his mouth.
Crystal Williams, Charleston Williams and Gloria Proo. Source: KENS5 News.
During the autopsy of Josiah's body, Dr Samantha Evans from the Bexar County Medical Examiner’s office found that “The young man was very thin in appearance where you could see lots of bone structures from the outside."
Evans also remarked, “He also had a number of injuries ranging from what appeared to be acute injuries, things that happened very recently, to wounds that were in the process of healing, as well as a number of scars beyond what we typically see in a five-year-old that comes through our office.”
A tribute for Josiah. Source: KENS5 News.
Throughout the trial, jurors were shown images of a healthy and happy Josiah from an earlier time alongside the images at the time of his death.
Jurors were also shown video footage from within the Williams' home that showed a hole the size of Josiah's head in a door and traces of blood nearby.
Crystal Williams cried throughout the trial. Source: KEN5 News.
“When Josiah died, he probably thought, ‘I’m dying unloved, and I’m dying alone’,” prosecutor Stephanie Boyd said before sentencing. “He died in a place with people who were supposed to love him, with no hope.”
Tragically, Josiah was just one of three children within the WIlliams' care at the time. The other children, an eight and two year old were removed from Child Protective Services following Josiah's death, however neither showed signs of abuse.
An image of Josiah at his memorial. Source: Facebook.
After deliberating for just under two hours, Williams was fined $10,000 and handed a 99-year sentence for her crimes.
Charleston Williams and Gloria Proo are still awaiting trial.
Top Comments
He lived in a house with 3 adults, but only one of them is being held responsible??
It says at the end the others are awaiting trial