Warning: This article contains discussion of child abuse which some readers may find distressing.
A mother, who forced her children to live in deplorable conditions alongside their deceased brother, has been sentenced to 50 years in prison. The case revolves around Gloria Williams, whose eight-year-old son, Kendrick Lee, died in 2020. His body was left in the family’s apartment in Texas for more than a year after his death.
Kendrick’s stepfather, Brian Coulter, received a life sentence without parole in April after being found guilty of capital murder for the child’s death. Reports indicate that the 34-year-old beat Kendrick to death.
While Coulter faced murder charges, Williams admitted guilt to the charge of injury to a child causing serious bodily harm, a felony of the first degree.
According to the police, Kendrick’s body was found covered with a blue blanket in the apartment, where his siblings were forced to coexist with his remains for an extended period. The authorities only became aware of the situation when one of Kendrick’s brothers contacted them.
Upon their arrival in October 2021, police discovered only Kendrick’s skeletal remains. Alongside living with their deceased brother, the three children, aged 15, 10, and seven, were enduring life in a filthy, pest-infested apartment, as reported by The Independent.
The children were also malnourished and had been left without adult supervision for some time.
Following Williams’ sentencing, Harris County District Attorney Kim Ogg stated: “We expect parents to protect their children, not hurt them, because children really are our most vulnerable victims.
“This case shocks the conscience not just because a child lost his life, but because of his parents’ complete and total disregard for human life.”
During Williams’ trial, two of Kendrick’s siblings testified against her, corroborating that Coulter had repeatedly abused Kendrick while he was alive.
After Kendrick’s murder, Williams and Coulter relocated to a new residence, leaving the three boys and their deceased brother in an unfurnished apartment. Harris County Sheriff Ed Gonzalez described the apartment conditions to reporters in 2021, as reported by PEOPLE: “The apartment was in a horrible condition. We saw soiled carpet, no furniture at all. No bedding, no blankets that we could see. We saw roaches and flies and a very bad condition for anyone to live in.”
Prior to her sentencing, Williams waived her right to a jury trial after pleading guilty to the charges.
If you’ve been affected by these issues or need to talk to someone confidentially about the welfare of a child, the Childhelp USA National Child Abuse Hotline (1-800-4-A-CHILD (1-800-422-4453) operates 24/7 and takes calls from the United States, Canada, US Virgin Islands, Guam, and Puerto Rico.