Philadelphia Foster Mother Charged With Murder of 10-Year-Old Malayshia Allford

Caprice Williams, 36, was charged with multiple felonies, including murder, on Thursday after police located the remains of 10-year-old Malayshia Allford in Camden County, New Jersey. District Attorney Larry Krasner announced the charges during a press conference, stating that authorities will pursue a vigorous prosecution of the case.

Allford lived under Williams' care at a home in the 500 block of North Simpson Street in West Philadelphia. The girl had been missing for more than a week before investigators found her body inside a car overnight at the Stonington Court Apartments. Video evidence showed Allford's body being removed from the North Simpson Street home at approximately 1:50 a.m. on Oct. 2.

Investigators noted that Allford was transported in a separate vehicle from the one in which her body was discovered. An initial autopsy determined the cause of death was blunt force trauma. In addition to the murder count, Williams faces charges of endangering the welfare of a child, reckless endangerment, tampering with evidence, and abuse of a corpse.

Krasner told reporters, “I want to be very clear that there will be a just and … vigorous prosecution in this case, that more details will be available as we move forward.” The investigation involves law enforcement partners, including the Philadelphia Police Department and the Federal Bureau of Investigation.

Pastor Alyn Waller of Enon Tabernacle Baptist Church addressed the local community's grief and call for justice. “This is a stark reminder that there’s a whole lot of work for us to do,” Waller said. “We are judged by how the children of our community fare. Does not matter what our economics, what our politics [are]. The question is how are the children? And until we can say the children are fine, we’re not fine.”

Philadelphia Mayor Cherelle Parker issued a statement to the Allford family, expressing condolences and her determination to uncover the facts. “As a mother, this has shaken me to my core,” Parker wrote. “As a praying Mayor, who wholeheartedly believes in the power of God’s strength. I pray that God will give the family a certain peace that passes all understanding to meet this moment.”