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| Judge orders mental evaluation for man accused of killing three young girls | Judge orders mental evaluation for man accused of killing three young girls |
| (about 2 hours later) | |
| A judge ordered a mental evaluation for a 25-year-old man accused of killing his sister and his two cousins — all under 10 — as the girls lay in the same bed in a Maryland home. | A judge ordered a mental evaluation for a 25-year-old man accused of killing his sister and his two cousins — all under 10 — as the girls lay in the same bed in a Maryland home. |
| The order came in a tense and chaotic hearing Monday in which Antonio Williams made his first court appearance in District Court in Prince George’s County on charges he stabbed to death his 6-year-old sister and two young cousins who were left in his care last week. He has been charged with three counts of first-degree murder and other related charges. | |
| Before the Monday hearing started, a man could be heard shouting from behind a door adjacent to the courtroom and Williams, 25, was soon brought muttering and yelling into court by sheriff’s deputies. | Before the Monday hearing started, a man could be heard shouting from behind a door adjacent to the courtroom and Williams, 25, was soon brought muttering and yelling into court by sheriff’s deputies. |
| District Court judge Patrice E. Lewis ordered him to undergo a mental evaluation at a state facility to be completed by Aug. 29. | |
| Police arrested Williams on Friday and said he confessed to killing the girls while his mother, Andrena Kelley, worked a nursing shift. Early Friday morning, Kelley returned home to the Clinton, Md., house and was met by a gruesome scene. | Police arrested Williams on Friday and said he confessed to killing the girls while his mother, Andrena Kelley, worked a nursing shift. Early Friday morning, Kelley returned home to the Clinton, Md., house and was met by a gruesome scene. |
| She found the bodies of her daughter, Nadira Janae’ Withers, 6; and visiting cousins, Ariana Elizabeth DeCree, 9; and Ajayah Royale DeCree, 6, of New Jersey, in a bed in a basement bedroom. | She found the bodies of her daughter, Nadira Janae’ Withers, 6; and visiting cousins, Ariana Elizabeth DeCree, 9; and Ajayah Royale DeCree, 6, of New Jersey, in a bed in a basement bedroom. |
| The brief hearing did not disclose why Williams allegedly killed the three girls, and spared his 2-year-old sister who was found unharmed when police arrived. | The brief hearing did not disclose why Williams allegedly killed the three girls, and spared his 2-year-old sister who was found unharmed when police arrived. |
| During a brief but tense hearing, family members of the girls and Williams sat on opposite sides of the courtroom. | During a brief but tense hearing, family members of the girls and Williams sat on opposite sides of the courtroom. |
| At one point Williams said “that’s my mom” before the judge asked him to focus for a few minutes, prompting a woman in the crowd to weep. | At one point Williams said “that’s my mom” before the judge asked him to focus for a few minutes, prompting a woman in the crowd to weep. |
| As a prosecutor and Williams’s defense attorney spoke at the bench, Williams began excitedly shouting “I am not the one you’re looking for!” | As a prosecutor and Williams’s defense attorney spoke at the bench, Williams began excitedly shouting “I am not the one you’re looking for!” |
| The judge immediately ended the hearing as she ordered the mental health screening. | The judge immediately ended the hearing as she ordered the mental health screening. |
| Three deputies pulled Williams from the courtroom as the woman weeping yelled to him. | Three deputies pulled Williams from the courtroom as the woman weeping yelled to him. |
| “Mommy loves you! Mommy is here,” the woman said. “I love you. Mommy love you!” | “Mommy loves you! Mommy is here,” the woman said. “I love you. Mommy love you!” |
| Those words immediately sparked reaction from other victims’ family members, including a man who said he was a father to one of the dead girls. | Those words immediately sparked reaction from other victims’ family members, including a man who said he was a father to one of the dead girls. |
| A half dozen deputies, prosecutors and courtroom staff had to separate the sides as they shouted expletives at each other and rose from their seats to clash. | A half dozen deputies, prosecutors and courtroom staff had to separate the sides as they shouted expletives at each other and rose from their seats to clash. |
| “He killed his sister!,” one man yelled before shouting “F--- you and your whole family!” | “He killed his sister!,” one man yelled before shouting “F--- you and your whole family!” |
| Authorities escorted the families from the courtroom and afterward family members declined to speak with reporters. | Authorities escorted the families from the courtroom and afterward family members declined to speak with reporters. |
| Prince George’s County State’s Attorney Angela Alsobrooks said outside court that prosecutors were surprised by Williams’s demeanor and had not had an indication he would be agitated and act as he did. | Prince George’s County State’s Attorney Angela Alsobrooks said outside court that prosecutors were surprised by Williams’s demeanor and had not had an indication he would be agitated and act as he did. |
| “We are not aware of any mental health issues he has,” she said. “He cooperated in the interrogation process, as such, we have every reason to believe he is competent.” | “We are not aware of any mental health issues he has,” she said. “He cooperated in the interrogation process, as such, we have every reason to believe he is competent.” |
| Alsobrooks said she expects a quick mental health evaluation process and that it will end with the continued prosecution of Williams. | Alsobrooks said she expects a quick mental health evaluation process and that it will end with the continued prosecution of Williams. |
| Alsobrooks described “excruciating” moments for the victims’ families, who just last week had been shopping for school supplies for the coming school year. | Alsobrooks described “excruciating” moments for the victims’ families, who just last week had been shopping for school supplies for the coming school year. |
| “You had two fathers in the courtroom this morning grieving, quite honestly, for their daughters who were expected to start first grade this week and the other daughter I think who was starting third grade.” | “You had two fathers in the courtroom this morning grieving, quite honestly, for their daughters who were expected to start first grade this week and the other daughter I think who was starting third grade.” |
| “One dad said ‘she is supposed to bury me,’” Alsobrooks said. “They cannot yet understand how to move forward and bury their baby.” | “One dad said ‘she is supposed to bury me,’” Alsobrooks said. “They cannot yet understand how to move forward and bury their baby.” |
| [Man arrested after three girls found dead in Prince George’s home] | [Man arrested after three girls found dead in Prince George’s home] |
| The DeCree sisters had spent the summer visiting with the Maryland family from their Newark home. Their mother and Williams’s mother are first cousins. | The DeCree sisters had spent the summer visiting with the Maryland family from their Newark home. Their mother and Williams’s mother are first cousins. |
| Police said they had not had contact with Williams before the girls were found dead and had never been called to the address in the 6400 block of Brooke Jane Drive. | Police said they had not had contact with Williams before the girls were found dead and had never been called to the address in the 6400 block of Brooke Jane Drive. |
| [He was supposed to be caring for his sister and two cousins. Instead he killed them, he told police.] | [He was supposed to be caring for his sister and two cousins. Instead he killed them, he told police.] |
| Read more: | Read more: |
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