2-month-old boy is second Wichita baby to die from child abuse in less than a week
A 2-month-old boy hospitalized with critical injuries last Friday is the second Wichita baby to die from child abuse in less than a week.
Marrell Williams died Thursday, after languishing for a week in a Wichita hospital. Wichita police made the announcement Friday morning, saying the infant’s father is expected to face more criminal charges in the coming days.
Police arrested 22-year-old Marlin D. Williams Jr. after officers were called to a home around noon Jan. 10 in the 2800 block of South Emporia for an unresponsive child. Police found a 2-month-old boy — Marrell — with critical internal injuries that were both old and new. The baby’s twin sister had a broken femur that was healing, police previously said. Two other children in the home — a 1-year-old boy and a 2-year-old girl — were unharmed.
All of the children were taken into police protective custody, Wichita police spokesman Officer Charley Davidson said.
Prosecutors on Tuesday charged the twins’ father with three counts of aggravated battery related to his babies’ injuries. Williams will likely face a murder charge now that his son has died.
The 2-month-old boy’s death comes a day after 9-month-old Maela Flores died at a Wichita hospital from critical injuries she received allegedly at the hands of her mother’s boyfriend, Brietan Ron Rader, last week. Prosecutors amended Rader’s criminal charges to include first-degree murder on Friday. Before the girl died, he was charged with child abuse and drug crimes.
Police have not disclosed exactly what happened to Marrell, other than to suggest he was beaten.
Williams remained in the Sedgwick County Jail on Friday in lieu of $250,000 bond, online inmate records show.
There are have been 12 child abuse or neglect deaths in Wichita since 2016.
Davidson on Friday encouraged anyone who knows or suspects a child is being abused or neglected make a report to authorities. Reports can be made to:
- 911
- Wichita-Sedgwick County Crime Stoppers at 316-267-2111
- See Something, Say Something hotline at 316-519-2282
- Kansas Protection Report Center at 1-800-922-5330
- Kansas Children’s Service League at 316-942-4261
- Child Advocacy Center at 316-660-9494
“Child abuse is a very serious crime. ... We want to prevent serious injury or death to children that may be in a dangerous or vulnerable situation,” Davidson said.
This story was originally published January 17, 2020 at 11:14 AM.
