Frederick County Parents Charged With Toddler Daughter's Death
FREDERICK COUNTY, Md. (WJZ)-- They're accused of doing the unthinkable: hurting their own little girl. Now a Frederick County couple is facing charges in her death.
Christie Ileto has more on how little Anayah nearly escaped the abuse that claimed her life.
Would 21-month-old Anayah Williams be alive if a flawed state law kept her from returning to her biological parents?
Tuesday, an outraged group of foster parents is saying yes.
"This is a child who couldn't communicate. This is a child who couldn't escape," said foster parent Cindi Webb.
Police say three weeks after being returned to her parents in March, Anayah died. Frankie and Stephanie Williams are facing child abuse charges and Frankie is also facing a first-degree murder charge. Police say he allegedly inflicted the fatal injuries.
"We knew as prosecutors that either the mother or the father caused a skull fracture of this child when she was two months old," said Frederick County State's Attorney Charlie Smith.
Authorities say the couple regained custody of Anayah back in February despite allegations of abuse. The state's attorney's office in Frederick County says Anayah should have never been returned to them, but state law requires abuse to be chronic and ongoing to prevent the child from returning to the parents.
"To take a child with a fractured skull and put her back into a home to now have chronic abuse...well, now we have a deceased child," said Webb.
A foster family had hoped to adopt Anayah before her untimely death.
"They were just wonderful people and gave that child everything," said foster parent Karen Kwansy.
Instead, a group of foster moms wants to make sure the law doesn't fail another Anayah.
The charges against Anayah's mother stem from the fact that she failed to protect her child and get help.
The couple is at the Frederick County Detention Center on a $1 million bail. The next hearing in the case is June 2.
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