Remains found in wooded Alabama area identified as missing 5-year-old girl Taylor Williams, cops say mother still not cooperating
The human remains which were discovered in a wooded area in west Alabama earlier this month have been confirmed to be that of five-year-old Taylor Rose Williams, who went missing from her home in Jacksonville, Florida in early November. The remains were found by a search team nearly 500 miles away, six days after the girl vanished on November 6.
The girl's mother, identified as Petty Navy Officer mother Brianna Williams, around the time of the discovery of the child's remains had attempted suicide as authorities prepared to charge her with child neglect and giving false information to law enforcement.
Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office has now called off the Amber Alert in connection with the case and announced that the case is going to be probed as a homicide. Chief of Detectives TK Water, in a statement on Monday, said that the child was identified through a DNA test, however, added that her cause of death is still being investigated.
Water added that the girl's mother has not been cooperating with authorities and they were preparing to tell Williams about the identification of the remains.
Taylor was reported missing by Williams, however, she ceased to cooperate with detectives after she was questioned about inconsistencies in her story. Authorities, earlier this month, had named her a person of interest in her daughter's disappearance.
Sheriff Mike Williams, on November 12, had told reporters that the mother was in a serious condition after overdosing on pills: "The suspect has been absentee booked at a local hospital after being admitted today due to an apparent overdose of some sort." He added that the reason why Williams committed suicide was not clear. "Only she knows that. I know there was what appears to be an overdose or she's ingested something. We don't know as of yet."
The identification of the remains comes a few days after Williams was transferred to the Duval County jail after spending nine days at a local hospital where she was on life support. She is currently in prison on $1.1 million bond.