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The trial of a father accused of murdering his 10-year-old son is taking place in a DeKalb County, Georgia courtroom. Leon Williams, an employee of the Georgia Department of Administrative Services, is accused of drowning his son Kentae Williams in a bathtub on April 28, 2017.
Prosecutors say the 44-year-old Williams was punishing his adopted son for misbehaving in school when he burned the child’s feet and held him underwater. A police document said, “The suspect stated that the child was not listening to the suspect as he was lecturing him, and admitted to holding the child under water for 30 to 45 seconds and then repeating the same action again.”
A report said that Williams and emergency workers who treated the boy performed CPR, but it was no use.
Kentae Williams’ death resulted in three people being fired from jobs at the Georgia Division of Family Children Services following an investigation of the family’s history of reported abuse. This was due to findings that previous reported incidents involving the child were not properly handled by agency workers. Two supervisors and one case worker were let go in the weeks following Kentae Williams’ death.
Leon Williams is facing charges of murder and child cruelty, and prosecutors are seeking a sentence of life in prison without parole.
[Image via DeKalb County Jail]