Mother of missing Florida girl Taylor Williams, 5, charged after human remains found in Alabama
Williams was reported missing from her Jacksonville home by her mother, who had stopped cooperating with police prior to the discovery of the remains.
The mother of a missing Florida girl, Taylor Rose Williams, 5, has been charged with child neglect and giving false information to investigators after police found human remains in rural Alabama, authorities announced on Tuesday.
The woman, Navy Petty Officer Brianna Williams, reported her daughter missing last week, telling investigators she'd disappeared from home overnight, authorities said.
Williams was booked at an area hospital after being admitted because of an apparent overdose, Jacksonville Sheriff Mike Williams, who is not related to the family, announced during a news conference on Tuesday evening.
NAVY PETTY OFFICER IS PERSON OF INTEREST IN 5-YEAR-OLD DAUGHTER'S DISAPPEARANCE, SHERIFF SAYS
In a news release, investigators said search teams had uncovered human remains in a wooded area between the cities of Linden and Demopolis in Alabama. The ID process is continuing.
“While indications are this may be Taylor Williams, the exact identification of the victim will be made pending some detailed forensic analysis of those remains,” Williams said.
Taylor Williams was reported missing from her Jacksonville, Fla., home last Wednesday. Sheriff Williams said Taylor's mother hasn't spoken with investigators since that day.
An undated photo of Taylor Williams. (Jacksonville Police via AP)
He said Williams told police she'd last saw the child in her bed around midnight. She's also said to have asserted that an exterior door was open, and that the girl was gone the next morning.
NAVY PETTY OFFICER STOPS COOPERATING WITH COPS AFTER REPORTING DISAPPEARANCE OF DAUGHTER, 5: SHERIFF
The sheriff said Taylor Williams' father, who reportedly hadn't seen the child in two years, and her family have been cooperating with the investigation.
The mother had been staying at the Jacksonville Navy air base where she works, the sheriff said.
Brianna Williams, 27, is from the county in which the remains were found, First Coast News reported.
The news outlet, citing two law enforcement sources, reported that she's in life-threatening condition following what appeared to be a suicide attempt.
Brianna Williams was assigned to the tactical operations center at Naval Air Station Jacksonville in April 2018, and enlisted in the Navy seven years ago, military officials said. She was still reporting for duty as of Tuesday morning, WJXT reported.
HUMAN REMAINS FOUND IN ALABAMA IN SEARCH FOR MISSING GIRL, 5, FROM FLORIDA, OFFICIALS SAY
A close family friend of hers, who did not want to be identified, said she'd been on suicide watch during the investigation, First Coast News reported. The friend said she overdosed after the remains were found and when police were on the way to arrest her, the news station added.
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Fox News’ Nicole Darrah and The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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