FORT WORTH — The family of a woman who was sentenced to life in prison for the starvation killing of her son says they think she should have been executed.
Marcella Williams pleaded guilty in 2006 in the murder of her nine-year-old son, Davontae Williams. Her girlfriend, Lisa Ann Coleman, was executed last week for her role in the crime.
But Williams will face no such fate. She reached a deal with the Tarrant County District Attorney's Office that saw her enter a guilty plea in exchange for a life sentence back in 2006.
It's a move her own family now questions.
"The Williams family is trying to move on,"said Tracey Williams, Marcella's aunt. "But we feel as though she should've gotten the death penalty as well. You're the mother; you are supposed to protect your child."
Tracey Williams said the death of young Davontae devastated their family. The attention surrounding the execution of Coleman last week opened up old wounds, and brought back a flood of painful memories.
"It feels like it just happened yesterday, like we are reliving it all over again," Williams said.
The family also finds fault with Child Protective Services, an agency that investigated Marcella Williams numerous times for child abuse allegations.
According to court documents, when investigators found Davonate's body in July 2004, he weighed only 35 pounds and was covered in bruises.
Tracey Williams said the way he died plays heavily into their feelings toward Marcella.
Here is a statement issued by the Williams family:
We would like the public & the Coleman family to know that our prayers go out to them. From the beginning of this situation we have always prayed & left it in Gods hands. W have always felt that whatever God allowed to happen to Lisa & Marcella concerning Davonatae's death that we would have to be pleased with it. However, even though Marcella is our niece, we didn't understand how they could give Lisa the death penalty & not Marcella, being that she was the mother of Davontae. We feel as though she should have gotten the death penalty as well because they both tormented & abused him, but we left this situation in the hands of the justice system & God. We the Williams family believe in what's right & we don't just blame Lisa for Davontaes death, we [also] blame Marcella & CPS for the death. CPS was called 16 times concerning Davonate's abuse, but they failed to do anything about it there excuse was that the family got lost in the system [...] I pray that Lisa made her peace with God & I hope that Marcella has done the same. As for the Williams family, we are moving forward in peace because we know that Davontae is in a much better place! This is not a win-win situation because the Coleman family has lost Lisa, & we have lost Davontae & his mother.
