Man sentenced for abuse of malnourished, injured teen
GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. (WOOD) — A metro Grand Rapids man who authorities say abused a teenager alongside his girlfriend will spend years behind bars.
William Arthur Williams, 51, was sentenced Monday to a minimum of 11 years, three months in prison.
In August 2022, a 13-year-old girl was taken to a hospital with “severe malnourishment and physical injuries.” An investigation by the Kent County Sheriff’s Office and Children’s Protective Services showed that the child was abused at a home on Fontana Street Southeast in Gaines Township.
Wilma Edwards, the child’s adoptive mother and legal guardian, admitted that she and her boyfriend Williams did things like tying the teen to a bed every night and using ratchet straps to prevent her from leaving.
2 accused of abusing malnourished, injured teen
“If left in the condition she was found in on August 26th of 2022, (the teen) likely would’ve died,” Kent County Assistant Prosecuting Attorney Bonnie Privette said.
Edwards was sentenced last month to a minimum of just over 11 years for the crime. Also last month, Williams pleaded no contest to torture, unlawful imprisonment and first-degree child abuse charges.
During the Monday sentencing hearing, foster care worker Sarah Murphy called what Edwards and Williams did “evil.”
“Meeting (the teen) is something that’s forever engrained in my mind. Personally, for me, I have had nightmares about it. So I can’t even imagine what (the teen) is going through and will go through for the foreseeable future,” Murphy said.
While speaking to the courtroom before sentencing, Williams directed most blame toward Edwards and claimed evidence could back it up.
“I didn’t do everything that she did because I was always at work. I came home and went to sleep,” Williams said.
He also apologized for not stopping the abuse.
“I’m sorry for what happened to her. I could’ve done more and I didn’t. I apologize for that,” Williams said.
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Ultimately, the judge moved forward with sentencing Williams.
“There was something offered to him and he was willing to take the deal. He maybe has some regrets about that now but there’s plenty of evidence that’s been established,” Kent County Judge George Quist said.
The maximum time that Williams could spend in prison is 30 years.
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