Hana Grace Rose Williams

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Born Hana Alemu had a rough start in life in Ethiopia, her mother disappeared, her father died and she was placed in an orphanage. She arrived in Washington in 2008 hoping to find a family that would love her. Hana had Hepatitis B and was adopted along with an unrelated seven year old deaf boy, Immanuel from Kidane Mihret orphanage by Larry and Carri Williams. The Williams had seven biological children. Three years later Hana was dead at the hands of her adoptive parents.

 

Hana was denied food as punishment, leaving her too thin to retain sufficient body heat when her parents put her out of the house in the cold Washington state weather as yet another punishment. Late one rainy night in May of 2011 Hana was found face down, naked and emaciated in mud in the backyard. The coroner said Hana's cause of death was hypothermia and chronic starvation caused by a parent’s intentional food restriction, severe neglect, physical and emotional abuse and stunning endangerment.

 

Hana had H Pylori and Giardia which are easily treated parasites. Hana weighed 78 pounds having lost 30 pounds in the year prior to her death and was about the same weight as when she arrived from Ethiopia three years earlier Larry and Carri Williams’ seven biological children and one other adopted child were taken into protective custody after Hana’s death. The couple had been homeschooling all nine of their children. The Williams attended several churches but were home churching around the time Hana died. The Williams read and recommended "How to Train Up a Child.”

 

Larry and Carri had deprived Hana of food for days at a time and had made her sleep in a cold barn or a closet and shower outside with a hose. Both adopted children were beaten with a belt, wooden spoon, a plumbing supply rod, and a gluestick. They often whipped Hana leaving marks on her legs.

 

 

Larry Williams was found guilty of first degree manslaughter and assault. Carri Williams was found guilty of homicide by abuse, manslaughter and assault. Larry was sentenced to between 27 and 28 years and Carri was sentenced to between 36 and 37 years.