Xavier Williams, the 10-year-old boy who died after allegedly being tortured and abused by his mother and her boyfriend in Tavares, was laid to rest on Saturday.
More than 500 people gathered at Lodge Community Chapel in Connecticut to say their final goodbye to Williams who died last month after he was allegedly, beaten and tortured in his Tavares home by his mother and her boyfriend.
Kimberley Mills, 37, and Andre Walker, 36, were arrested after the two took Xavier to the hospital, police said. The boy was covered in bruises, burn marks and other injuries, according to law enforcement.
“Though his life ended in pain and injustice, Xavier’s story is not defined by tragedy. It’s defined by the joy the he brought, the love he gave and memories we now hold tightly,” said Nadeen Romain during the service.
Mills and Walker were indicted on several charges including first-degree murder and aggravated child abuse.
Court filings also revealed new details in the case. An affidavit by Tavares police said Mills and Walker brought a Xavier to the hospital in full cardiac arrest, covered in bruises, burns, and showing signs of sexual abuse.
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Mills initially stated she didn’t know what happened but then ran away from the hospital when she realized the police were being called. She later came back without Walker but brought another child with her.
Mills refused to talk after being read her Miranda rights.
Hospital staff confirmed the injuries were severe — bruises at different healing stages, arterial bleeding, serious burns, and signs of sexual trauma.
Police found surveillance showing Walker’s truck leaving town shortly after.
A search warrant at their house revealed disturbing evidence:
- A clear cleanup attempt (sanitizing wipes, mop bucket)
- Children’s clothes taped up (as if to restrain a child)
- A dumbbell wrapped in duct tape, suggesting it had been used to hurt someone.
- Blood or bodily fluid stains on mattresses.
Later, Xavier Williams’ brother who also lived at the home was interviewed explaining he an Xavier had been “punished” by having dumbbells (weights) dropped onto their stomach, not just that night, but also before. He also mentioned being hit with boxing gloves and a copper rod. The child’s description of the dumbbells and clothing matched exactly what the police had recovered.
In a filing is from the state, Mills told child protective investigators that she had “failed” and kept saying she was “dead.”
She said Xavier had committed credit card fraud and stole from a Wawa.
She also talked about disciplining the child and said something like the child “deserved to die.”
She stated she made the child hold weights over their head. Then Andre Walker came over and started dropping weights onto the child’s stomach.
Kimberly said she denied disciplining the Xavier that day, but explained that after the child was hurt and taken to the hospital, Walker said the child was “too good” and that’s why they were the way they were.
She claimed during the abuse, the child urinated on themselves and that Walker urinated on the child’s back too.
Walker said they both physically disciplined the children.
On April 3, News 6 reported that the 5th Judicial Circuit state attorney’s office announced it would seek the death penalty against Mills and Walker who were charged with murder after her 10-year-old son died from “unimaginable abuse.”
