A Kentucky couple is behind bars after a one-year-old boy was left to choke to death on his own dirty diaper inside a garage filled with urine and trash cans, authorities said.
Deavan Williams, 22, is facing wanton murder and first-degree child abuse charges after admitting to horrendous forms of abuse. The child’s mother, Alexandrae Price, 22, was charged with first-degree child abuse. The boy, Mason Moulding, died on July 27.
Williams was the sole adult watching over the boy on that day when the toddler consumed portions of a feces-contaminated diaper and choked, according to Allen County District Court documents. Authorities were called to the couple’s home in Scottsville around 10 p.m. that evening after Mason was transported to a hospital. He was found with suspicious trauma, including mouth bleeding and body bruising, and was later pronounced dead.
During his police interview, Williams said he had fallen asleep while caring for the child. He admitted knowing that the baby had eaten feces-filled diapers before the deadly incident. Williams stated he was the child’s primary caregiver and the only adult supervising him during the time immediately preceding the child’s collapse.
The investigation revealed that Williams and Price had subjected the child to horrific living conditions long before the choking incident. The playpen where Mason spent his days sat directly on a contaminated floor in an un-air-conditioned garage filled with trash, beer cans, soiled diapers, and heavy cat urine. Inside the garage, the playpen contained animal urine, animal feces, raw sewage, decomposing animals, and other hazardous conditions. The couple also kept the child in a basement with flies and spiders, along with a large amount of trash and debris, posing significant health hazards. The living area had high moisture levels and poor ventilation.
Beyond the filthy conditions, investigators documented additional abuse. Williams allegedly intentionally fed the toddler extremely spicy foods despite Price telling him to stop. Williams admitted that the child routinely consumed diapers, couch cushions, and other unsafe objects. The couple bathed the baby using an outdoor garden hose. Williams told authorities he was surprised the baby did not have parasites given the filth the child was surrounded by.
According to court documents, on July 27, the child was last seen alive at a grocery store with his mother in the afternoon. Price then went to work, leaving Mason alone with Williams. The timeline in the warrant describes investigators seeing the child alive and behaving normally at the grocery store before the tragic incident later that day.
Police made clear that the physical injuries found on the one-year-old told a troubling story. Investigators noted that the traumatic injuries the child sustained were inconsistent with Williams’ account that he had simply fallen asleep while the boy choked on a diaper. The medical examiner’s office documented findings including traumatic injuries and other bodily injuries that the suspect allegedly caused.
The Scottsville Police Department released a statement emphasizing the seriousness of the case. “This one-year-old child deserves a thorough, accurate, and complete investigation. We owe that to this child, the child’s family, and our community,” the department said. “Child abuse and neglect have no place in Allen County and will not be tolerated.”
Both Williams and Price are being held at the Allen County Detention Center. Williams is being held on a $500,000 cash bond in addition to the $30,000 bond for his initial first-degree child abuse charge. Price is being held on a $40,000 cash bond. They were both scheduled to appear in Allen County District Court for preliminary hearings on Wednesday.
The investigation remains active and ongoing. Authorities are awaiting the complete medical examiner’s report and preparing additional search warrants and interview statements. The police department noted that additional charges remain possible as the investigation progresses.