Background: Xavier Williams. Insets: Kimberley Mills, and Andre Walker. (Tavares Police Department).
Police announced Friday that a 10-year-old boy, the victim of “unimaginable abuse and neglect,” has died after lingering for weeks in critical condition. For now, his mother, Kimberley Mills, 37, and her boyfriend, Andre Walker, 36, remain at a jail for a child abuse case in Lake County, Florida, but officers said they are working with prosecutors to enhance charges. Officers identified the son as Xavier Williams, 10.
As Law&Crime previously reported, Mills and Walker showed up with the unresponsive child at Advent Health Waterman hospital at around 10 p.m. the night of Feb. 22. He was not breathing, and he had been suffering from burns, bruises, and other injuries in various stages of healing, officers said.
Mills was doing CPR, Walker had run inside to alert staff for help, and nurses immediately started providing aid, cops said. The couple allegedly left the scene after learning law enforcement was on the way.
Mills returned to the hospital after a “short period of time” with another child but Walker never came back, police said. Mills allegedly refused to give cops information about Walker’s whereabouts or even identify him. Eventually, she gave up Walker’s name to the Department of Children and Families, police said.
Cops claim that the couple had beat and tortured Xavier, and also abused the other child.
When police searched the home, they found items they believe the couple used to abuse the children, including 10-pound weights, boxing gloves, a copper wire and a flashlight, Orlando ABC affiliate WFTV reported.
At a hearing earlier this month, Tavares Police Detective Douglas Roberts testified about some of the alleged abuse Xavier Williams endured.
“While he was having weights dropped on his stomach—he was duct-taped to a ladder,” Roberts reportedly said.
Police announced a candlelight vigil to take place Saturday at 7 p.m. at Wooton Park in downtown Tavares.
From authorities:
Xavier’s family warmly invites everyone in our community to join them in this moment of remembrance and gratitude for your overwhelming support during this time. Let us come together to show our love, compassion, and solidarity as we celebrate Xavier’s life and the joy he brought to those around him.
Please consider wearing blue, Xavier’s favorite color, as a gesture of unity and love.
For those wishing to offer additional support to the family, the Tavares Police Charity continues to accept donations. Additionally, the family has set up a GoFundMe page to provide further assistance. Both links are included below.
Let us gather as one community, honoring Xavier and surrounding his family with the strength of our care and kindness.
The GoFundMe, run by the paternal side of his family, is here, and the police charity is here.
David Harris contributed to this report.
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