Josiah Williams

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Josiah's biological mother Carlotta Balleza gave her mother Patty Ojeda-Quintero, the authority to care for Josiah after she was arrested on a warrant April 5, related to a probation violation for a previous drug charge. On June 29, 2011Josiah's biological father Charleston and Crystal picked Josiah up, for a weekend visit.  This was the last time Patty saw her grandson alive. The very next day, Patty got a letter from Charleston's lawyer Rosie Reyes, Rosie said that Charleston was entitled to a month long visitation with Josiah. Josiah was in the custody of his father and stepmother for six months before he died. Under their watch, he became malnourished and suffered severe physical trauma.

 

Josiah Williams was found dead two days after Christmas. He had two black eyes, bruises and cuts all over his body as well as tears behind his ears and large gashes inside his lips. An autopsy indicated Josiah suffered both abuse and malnutrition. He weighed only 38 pounds at the time of his death.

 

Charleston Williams admitted to beating Josiah with a belt and placing him in “time out” in a closet, but said his injuries were from accidental falls. Crystal Williams corroborated her husband's story that Josiah had fallen multiple times that week, but said one of his falls was “intentional” because he was protesting being put in time out, and he “threw himself to the floor and struck his head.” The couple's stories fall apart when it came to the malnutrition side of Josiah's injuries. Charleston Williams said Josiah was “healthy, even a slightly overweight child” when he came to live with them, but had been refusing to eat, the affidavit said. Crystal Williams said Josiah had been eating regularly and didn't know why he was losing weight. Both denied intentionally starving him. During the investigation of his death, police found holes in the closet of the Williamses' home that were the same size and circumference of Josiah's head, with blood on the walls.

 

Josiah's Step grandmother Gloria Proo was also arrested on felony charge of injury to a child. A witness had come forward stating that Gloria has been the one in charge of the discipline for Josiah. I was unable to currently find any sentencing information for any one related to Josiah’s death.