Thursday, October 11, 2012

Dad found guilty of killing 2-year-old son, dumping his body during visitation (Berkeley County, South Carolina)

Why did this batterer have visitation rights with a child?

Dad is ROGER WILLIAMS.

http://thetandd.com/news/father-guilty-in-toddler-s-death/article_9f221a7e-13d6-11e2-8ef5-001a4bcf887a.html

Father guilty in toddler’s death

6 hours ago • T&D Staff Report

A Berkeley County jury has found a man guilty of killing his son and dumping his body in Orangeburg County.

Roger Williams has been sentenced to life in prison on a charge of homicide by child abuse, according to multiple media outlets.

Authorities say his son, 2-year-old Rodricus, died of a blow to the head and that Williams, 31, of Summerville, and girlfriend Grace Trotman concocted a story that the child had fallen into the water off Charleston's Battery on July 6, 2010. Rescue crews searched the water but turned up nothing.

Authorities said two days later, Trotman led police to the child's body in the community of Bowman in Orangeburg County.

Trotman, who has pleaded guilty to two charges, is cooperating with authorities and will be sentenced after Williams' trial.

Trotman testified she lived a life of fear, abuse and pain when she lived with Williams. She said she became pregnant and Trotman beat her during the pregnancy.

She also testified that Williams hit Rodricus when he would "stand like a girl." She said on June 7, 2010, Trotman's daughter and Rodricus were fighting at the home, so she "popped him" and he lost his balance, hitting his head on the wall. She said she laid the child down and did CPR and called Williams at work who, she said, told her not to call 911.

When Williams returned from work about 20 minutes later, the child was dead, she testified.

Later, she said, Williams wrapped the body in trash bags and tape after wiping it with peroxide. She said he stuffed him in the trash can and covered him with the cement.

She testified the couple then rented a truck and dumped the trash can behind a trailer near Bowman.