Caprice Williams, the foster mother of 10-year-old Malayshia Alford, has been charged with murder after the girl was found dead in New Jersey. Prosecutors shared details of the case during a news conference on Thursday.
What prosecutors said
According to CBS News, prosecutors said at a press conference on Thursday night that Williams has been charged with murder in the girl’s killing. They said police found Malayshia’s body inside a car on Thursday morning in Camden County.
Investigators said Malayshia was last seen alive on October 22. She was not reported missing until four days later. Investigators said she was beaten to death by Williams.
How the search led to the body
According to prosecutors, surveillance video appears to show what is believed to be a body being taken out of the home on the 500 block of North Simpson Street shortly before 2am local time on Monday. Prosecutors said a suspect vehicle was identified and one person was interviewed. As per prosecutors, this unidentified person told police where Malayshia’s body was.
{{/usCountry}}According to prosecutors, surveillance video appears to show what is believed to be a body being taken out of the home on the 500 block of North Simpson Street shortly before 2am local time on Monday. Prosecutors said a suspect vehicle was identified and one person was interviewed. As per prosecutors, this unidentified person told police where Malayshia’s body was.
{{/usCountry}}Police found the body around 11:30pm on Wednesday. Investigators said it was in the trunk of a car near the Stonington Court Apartments in Lindenwold.
As per CBS News, family members said Williams told relatives that the girl had gone to her biological mother’s home. But the family members said the biological mother did not have visitation rights, and Malayshia was not at her home.
Investigators searched a backyard dumpster in Lower Merion Township on Tuesday night for clues. The FBI also went to Williams’ home on North Simpson Street that night with a search warrant. No one answered the door, so agents forced their way in.
Community mourns the girl
According to CBS News, people tied pink and white balloons outside the West Philadelphia home where Malayshia lived with Williams, as news of her death spread on Thursday afternoon.
“For me to come out here to something like this is very devastating,” Tyeisha Stots said. “I was sad last night. I couldn’t sleep.”
“It was a lot of hope. We had a lot of people out here searching,” Jimmy Ligon of West Philadelphia said. “We had a lot of people. At least 50 people came out yesterday to search.”
As per CBS News, Valerie Brown said Malayshia went to camp with her son. “I’m feeling hurt. I’m feeling - my spirit is heavy,” Brown said.