Philadelphia authorities have charged Carprice Williams, a 36-year-old foster parent, with the murder of Malayshia Alford, a 10-year-old girl in her care, following the discovery of the child’s body in New Jersey.
Williams faces multiple charges, including murder, endangering the welfare of a child, possession of an instrument of crime, reckless endangerment, tampering with evidence, and abuse of a corpse. The charges were announced Thursday by Philadelphia District Attorney Larry Krasner, who described the case as a "horrific situation."
Malayshia was last seen alive on October 22 at her West Philadelphia home. Surveillance footage from October 26 at approximately 1:53 a.m. captured an individual removing a body from the residence in a bag and placing it into a vehicle, according to Assistant District Attorney Ashley Toczylowski. The individual seen on video was not Williams, Toczylowski stated.
Investigators identified a suspect vehicle linked to the footage, which led them to a witness who assisted in locating Malayshia’s body. The child’s remains were found in the trunk of a car in Lindenwold, New Jersey, on November 4, Toczylowski confirmed. A preliminary autopsy determined the cause of death as blunt force trauma, with the manner of death ruled a homicide.
Williams, who also worked as a teacher in the School District of Philadelphia, was taken into custody and is being held without bail. She is scheduled to appear in court on November 23.
The investigation remains ongoing, with authorities continuing to review evidence and interview witnesses. Additional details about the relationship between Williams and Malayshia, as well as the circumstances leading to the child’s death, have not yet been disclosed by law enforcement.