Report reveals what led to arrest of foster mom accused of killing girl

Philadelphia Report reveals what led to arrest of foster mom accused of killing girl Carprice Williams, 36, physically abused 10-year-old Malayshia Alford, and used her phone to send herself texts after her death, according to documents NBC10 obtained. By David Chang • Published 19 minutes ago • Updated 5 minutes ago Warning: This article contains descriptions of physical abuse and could be disturbing for some readers. If you or someone you know is experiencing domestic violence, contact the National Domestic Violence Hotline by calling 1-800-799-SAFE (7233), visiting www.thehotline.org or texting LOVEIS to 22522. Stream Philadelphia News for free, 24/7, wherever you are with NBC10. WATCH HERE The foster mom charged in the murder of 10-year-old Malayshia Alford physically abused the girl and used the child’s phone to send text messages to herself in order to throw investigators off after her death, according to a detailed police report the NBC10 Investigators obtained. Carprice Williams, 36, is charged with murder, endangering the welfare of a child, criminal use of a communication facility, possession of an instrument of crime, reckless endangerment, tampering with evidence and abuse of corpse. Philadelphia Police, Family Photo Philadelphia Police, Family Photo The disappearance of Malayshia Alford On Friday, Nov. 6, the NBC10 Investigators obtained an arrest report that provides a detailed timeline of what led to Williams’ arrest, as well as allegations of a history of physical abuse against her foster daughter. Local Breaking news and the stories that matter to your neighborhood. Philly Weather 4 hours ago Rainy end to week, dry seasonable weekend in Philly Camden County 18 minutes ago Armed person hit by gunfire during incident with NJ police at CVS Pharmacy On Monday, Oct. 26, at 5:13 p.m., police responded to Williams’ home on the 500 block of North Simpson Street in Philadelphia after receiving a report that Alford was missing. Alford had been in Williams’ care for about a year, investigators said. Williams told police that Alford never returned home from school and was not answering her phone. Williams also claimed employees at Alford’s school and her school bus company told her the girl never got on the bus after school. Williams claimed she received text messages from Alford telling her she was with her biological family. Police checked Williams’ home multiple times but could not find Alford, according to the report. Investigators later determined that Alford had not been at school from Friday, Oct. 23, through Monday, Oct. 26. When police told Williams this, she claimed the school never told her Alford had been absent. She also claimed Alford left for school on Oct. 23 but left her phone at home, according to the police report. Police checked addresses associated with Alford’s biological parents, but the girl remained missing. The FBI then joined the investigation and analyzed phone records from both Alford and Williams. Investigators obtained the following text message that was sent from Alford’s phone to Williams’ phone on Oct. 26 at 3:23 p.m.: “Mommy, I know you are waiting for me to come home but my family they don’t want me to be adopted and I just wish we can all be together I love you and [redacted] so much and ya’ll have been the best family to me but I just really want to see how it feels please don’t be mad and I’m sorry mommy so sorry I love you mommy.” Williams then texted Alford, telling her she wasn’t mad but that she had to come home. “You don’t know these people and I need to keep you safe,” Williams texted the girl. “You are in care for a reason. Please, I’m not upset with you. I’m upset with them for this.” Witnesses detail history of alleged abuse As the investigation continued, police spoke with two juvenile witnesses on Nov. 3. Both children said they had witnessed Williams physically abusing Alford whenever they visited the home. The alleged abuse included Williams hitting the girl with a phone cord, throwing her down the stairs and forcing her to walk up and down the stairs while wearing a heavy vest, according to the police report. The witnesses said they noticed several injuries on Alford, including a bloated and puffy leg and deep cuts on her hands. The witnesses also said Williams punished Alford by not allowing her to eat or drink and that the girl had to ask her foster mother for permission to use the bathroom. The witnesses also claimed Williams had physically abused them, with one child saying Williams bent their fingers back and the other claiming Williams told her biological son to strike them with a sword. The witnesses said that during their last visit to the home on Oct. 24, they noticed Alford lying in bed with her arm behind her back. They said she never changed positions or responded when they called for her. Police find child’s body On Nov. 4, investigators obtained surveillance video from outside Williams’ home showing activity from Oct. 26 at 1:52 a.m. The video showed a person dragging a large bag, placing it in the back seat of a black Escalade and driving off. Police later identified the person as one of Williams’ family members and interviewed them. “You want me to say that I killed the kid and put her in the ground,” the family member told investigators, according to the police report. “You want me to tell you and then my life is ruined. You have to give me some time because I’m not doing it tonight.” The family member later accompanied investigators to 1800 Laurel Road in Lindenwold, New Jersey. Investigators found Alford’s body inside a 2011 silver Lincoln MKZ. The girl’s body and her backpack were inside two trash bags placed within a large tote bag. Investigators said the body showed signs of decomposition. An autopsy determined Alford died from blunt force trauma, and her death was ruled a homicide. The family member later told investigators they had received a text from Williams on Oct. 25 telling them to meet her at her Philadelphia home. When they arrived at the home on Simpson Street, Williams told the family member that Alford never woke up, indicating the girl was dead, and that it was too late to call police, according to investigators. The family member said they later saw Williams with the large bag but never saw Alford’s body. The family member then admitted to driving the bag to their home in Lindenwold and transferring it to the trunk of the silver Lincoln MKZ, which they also owned. The arrest of Carprice Williams On Thursday, Nov. 5, police and the FBI located Williams at a home on Overbrook Avenue in Philadelphia. During an interview, Williams told investigators Alford had recently been acting out and behaving differently, claiming it was due to stomach issues and an upcoming court hearing. Williams claimed Alford wore a weighted vest that calmed her down and kept her from injuring herself when she threw herself down during tantrums. She said she believed the last time Alford wore the vest was about six months earlier, according to the police report. Williams also told investigators that Alford had fallen down a few steps on Oct. 24 and that she gave the girl water before taking her to bed. She said she saw the girl later that night and that Alford was not showing signs of being affected by the fall. When detectives told Williams that Alford was dead, Williams asked for a lawyer, according to the police report. Detectives also determined that Williams had used Alford’s phone to send text messages to herself on Oct. 26. They also said they found the weighted vest and Alford’s iPhone while searching the home. Williams was then arrested and charged. Early Friday, Nov. 6, she was arraigned on all charges and ordered held without bail. NBC10 confirmed through sources that Williams was a teacher in the Philadelphia School District. A student told NBC10 on Thursday that Williams taught at Lewis C. Cassidy School, an eleme