Decatur father indicted for drowning son in bathtub

A DeKalb County Grand Jury has indicted a Decatur man in connection with the drowning death of his recently adopted 10-year-old son. Jurors returned a seven-count indictment on Tuesday against 43-year-old on charges of malice murder, felony murder, cruelty to children in the first degree (three counts), aggravated assault-family violence, and aggravated battery-family violence for the death of Kentae Williams.

The victim died on April 28, 2017 following a series of alleged incidents involving the defendant. According to the investigation, neighbors witnessed Williams yelling at and threatening the child while dragging the victim by his neck into their Glen Hollow Drive apartment unit. The victim was then beaten with a belt, and forced into the bathtub where hot water was poured over his feet, causing second-degree burns. The child’s head was then submerged under water twice after he complained about the water temperature. After losing consciousness, emergency crews were called and the child was rushed to the hospital where he later died. Williams was arrested the following day. He remains jailed without bond.

The case will be prosecuted by the District Attorney’s Sexual Exploitation and Crimes Against Children (S.E.C.A.C.) Unit.  A trial date has not yet been determined.