FORT SMITH -- A 25-year-old man pleaded innocent Wednesday in Sebastian County Circuit Court to first-degree murder in the Jan. 30 death of his girlfriend's 19-month-old daughter.
Tyree La'Mont Williams was charged after the Arkansas medical examiner's office concluded that the girl died from blunt-force abdominal trauma. His bail was set Wednesday at $500,000.
A probable-cause affidavit said Williams admitted under questioning by police to punching the girl in the stomach "a couple of times." He also admitted to having struck her in the past and to having left bruises on her body.
Police were called to Sparks Regional Medical Center about 4:15 p.m. Jan. 30 after Williams and the girl's mother, Sierra Johnson, 20, arrived at the emergency room carrying the unresponsive toddler. Doctors were unable to resuscitate her.
Williams also pleaded innocent Wednesday to a charge of being a felon in possession of a firearm after police searched Williams' and Johnson's apartment and found a handgun that Williams said was his. Records showed he had been convicted of a felony in LeFlore County, Okla.
State Desk on 02/08/2018