DeKalb County: Sophia Williams sentenced to life for beating death of 4-year-old son

DEKALB COUNTY, GA—A mother who beat and killed her 4-year-old son because he would not use the toilet has been sentenced to life without parole.  

Sophia Williams, 43, was found guilty of Malice Murder, two counts of Felony Murder, four counts of Cruelty to Children in the First Degree, and three counts of Aggravated Battery in connection with the death of her son, Anthony Vice, 4.

During a sentencing hearing held on Tuesday, Dec. 9, DeKalb County Superior Court Judge Asha F. Jackson, who presided over the trial, sentenced Willliams to Life Without the Possibility of Parole, plus 10 years.

DeKalb County District Attorney Sherry Boston announced a conviction by jury trial in the case.

According to the investigation, on the morning of March 6, 2022, officers with the DeKalb County Police Department responded to a call of a child who was not breathing at an apartment on Tregoney Drive in unincorporated Decatur. When they arrived, they found Anthony Vice on the floor of the living room without a heartbeat. EMS rendered aid and noticed new and old bruising over the child’s entire body. Anthony was transported to Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta where he was pronounced dead. 

The mother told officers that Anthony was not potty trained. Williams admitted to disciplining him by striking him with her hand, a house slipper, a purse strap, and a charging cord when he did not listen, or when he urinated and defecated outside of the toilet. Williams also claimed that Anthony had accidentally hit his head the week before, stating that she was not responsible for any head injuries.

A 13-year-old child who was in the home told officers that Willams “whooped” Anthony on the afternoon of March 5, 2022, when he would not use the bathroom. The child recalled that Anthony appeared to be dizzy and fell to the floor, unresponsive. 

Williams placed Anthony on her bed and threw water on him. He revived momentarily, but became unresponsive again. His only movements throughout the night were reflexive, his arm jerking and his leg kicking. The defendant searched on her phone for phrases such as, “remedy for concussion,” and “Coma – symptoms and causes.” 

Williams fell asleep, waking around 5 a.m. to Anthony making a low grunting sound, according to the investigation. His body was completely limp, and t Williams felt him stop breathing. She called Anthony’s father at 5:38 a.m. and told him the boy was not breathing. She called 911 at 6:26 a.m.

Defendant Williams told officers that she did not want to call for help because of the bruises on Anthony’s body. An autopsy showed that Anthony’s cause of death was blunt force trauma to the head, and it is likely he would have survived if Williams had sought medical care when she first observed the signs of Anthony’s head injury.

The case, assigned to the Child Crimes Unit was prosecuted by Senior Assistant District Attorney Sarah Hilleren, with assistance from Chief Assistant District Attorney Eddie Chase, former District Attorney Investigator Niyema Smith, and Victim Advocate Jenaiya Coleman. Former DeKalb County Police Department Detective J. Hayes led the initial investigation.