Alabama inmate dies days before being released, family says he was ‘beaten , tortured and sexually assaulted’ in prison
Authorities found Daniel Williams unresponsive on October 22 at Staton Correctional Facility, prison officials said
An Alabama inmate died just two weeks before he was set to be released from prison, after being beaten, tortured and sexually assaulted for days. Daniel Williams, 22, a father of two infants, was serving a one-year prison term for second-degree theft. Authorities found him unresponsive on October 22 at Staton Correctional Facility, prison officials told New York Post.
The Alabama Department of Corrections confirmed that it was reported as a “possible inmate-on-inmate assault.” Williams’ family, however, claimed that they were told only on October 25 that he was brain-dead. They also alleged that warden Joseph Headley said it was because of drugs.
‘You can tell it’s obviously not a drug overdose’
“I spoke to the warden myself, he said it’s obviously a drug overdose,” Williams’ stepmother, Taylor Bostic, told the Alabama Political Reporter. She added that Williams’ father Terry “just assumed he got a hold of some bad drugs or something.”
“And when we went to see him, he’s beaten and bruised up and you can tell where his hands were bound. I mean, you can tell it’s obviously not a drug overdose,” she said.
“And that’s when [dad Terry Williams] called the warden and asked him why the hell he told us that his son is dying from a drug overdose when it’s obviously assault,” Bostic added. “And all he could say after that was it’s under investigation.”
The family reportedly eventually learned that Williams had been kidnapped and raped or “tied up, beaten, and rented out for two to three days” by another prisoner, according to prison sources.
“The decision was made to transfer him to an area hospital for further evaluation and treatment. He remained at the hospital until the family decided to remove him from life support,” Alabama’s DOC Public Information Manager Kelly Windham Betts said in a statement.
“The ADOC Law Enforcement Services Division is investigating the incident,” the department said. It is unclear if charges have been pressed.
A GoFundMe launched for Williams says, “This baby was beaten , tortured and sexually assaulted at Staton Prison by a gang of people with only 14 days until his release. He was pronounced brain dead on arrival to the hospital. We are helping Terry and his family with funeral expenses. They have taken him off life support and will keep him comfortable until he passes. On Thursday, November 9th, Daniel gained his angel wings. They were not prepared for this sudden tragedy. Any donations and prayers will be greatly appreciated. Keep the family in your prayers.”