A Philadelphia foster parent has been arrested on multiple charges, including murder, after a 10‑year‑old girl in her care was found dead in a New Jersey car trunk.
Key points
- Carprice Williams faces multiple felony charges, including murder, for the death of foster child Malayshia Alford.
- The girl’s body was discovered in a New Jersey vehicle trunk; blunt‑force trauma was identified as the cause of death.
- Investigators are still piecing together how the child was moved from her Philadelphia home and why Williams was not the individual captured on surveillance moving the bag.
- Legal proceedings are pending, with a preliminary hearing set for Nov. 23.
Carprice Williams, 36, was arrested on Thursday and charged with murder, endangering the welfare of a child, possession of an instrument of crime, reckless endangerment, tampering with evidence and abuse of a corpse in connection with the death of 10‑year‑old Malayshia Alford, officials said.
Malayshia was last seen alive on Oct. 22 at her Philadelphia home. Surveillance video recovered by investigators showed a person moving a bag‑like container from the home into a vehicle shortly before 2 a.m. on Oct. 26; the individual was not identified as Williams. A witness linked to the suspect vehicle helped police locate the girl’s body in the trunk of another vehicle in New Jersey on Wednesday night.
Disappearance and discovery
A preliminary autopsy indicated blunt‑force trauma as the cause of death, and the manner of death was ruled a homicide. Williams was denied bail at a Friday court appearance and is scheduled for a preliminary hearing on Nov. 23. She has been assigned a public defender, though the Defender Association declined further comment.
Philadelphia District Attorney Larry Krasner called the case a "horrific situation" and said more information about how Malayshia was placed with Williams would emerge as the investigation proceeds. Mayor Cherelle Parker pledged that law‑enforcement agencies will "cross every ‘T’ and dot every ‘I’" to uncover the facts.
Charges and court proceedings
Family members, including the brother of Malayshia’s biological father, thanked the community for support and asked for privacy and prayers, urging the public not to pass judgment on the family during the ongoing investigation.
Reader questions
What charges have been filed against Carprice Williams?
Williams has been charged with murder, endangering the welfare of a child, possession of an instrument of crime, reckless endangerment, tampering with evidence and abuse of a corpse.
Where was Malayshia Alford's body found?
Her body was located in the trunk of a vehicle in New Jersey on Wednesday night.
What did the preliminary autopsy reveal about the cause of death?
The autopsy indicated blunt‑force trauma as the cause of death, and the death was ruled a homicide.
Source: abcnews.com
