RIVIERA BEACH, Fla. — The Riviera Beach Police Department has released new details in the death of a 7-year-old girl who was found unresponsive at a home in earlier this year.
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Police said on April 28 they found 7-year-old Nia Williams unresponsive at a home at 1501 West 15th St. in Riviera Beach. The girl was taken to St. Mary’s Medical Center for treatment, where she died from her injuries later that night.
An autopsy revealed that the girl had suffered severe blunt force trauma, including a lacerated liver and internal bleeding, which resulted in her death being ruled homicide. Initial claims that the girl had been given medication were refuted by toxicology reports that revealed no significant drug presence, police said.
A thorough investigation by the Strategic Investigation Division (SID) revealed a history of suspected abuse and neglect to the girl and medical records showed repeated trauma-related fractures and burns, police said.
Former caregivers Rebecca Finley and Whytni Walker, who had temporary custody of Nia Williams and her siblings in the past, told police the children suffered years of physical abuse and abandonment by their mother, Naikishia L. Williams.
WPTV reporter Kayla McDermott spoke with Finley and Walker on Friday, following the arrest of Naikishia Williams, who expressed their grief and frustration about the girl's death.
"We can never get her smile back. We can never talk to her again," Walker said.
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Police said Nia Williams’ teacher and nurses were also interviewed, and they described frequent absences and visible distress before her death.
During an interview with the Child Protection Team (CPT), family members and the girl's sister provided additional evidence, police said. The siblings described violent punishments inflicted by their mother with objects like metal pipes, heels, and belt. The siblings described Nia Willliams' final days, during which she experienced severe stomach pain and vomiting after being "stomped on" by her mother.
A DCF report dated April 2, detailed visible injuries on the child and other children, raising concerns that were ultimately not acted upon in time, police said.
Naikishia Williams faces charges of first-degree murder and aggravated child abuse.
