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Man charged with neglect in toddler’s death, likely to face additional charges

Posted at 12:32 AM, Apr 19, 2016
and last updated 2016-04-19 00:34:20-04

HANOVER COUNTY, Va. – A Mechanicsville man has been arrested and charged after the death of a two-year-old boy who was found unconscious inside his apartment Saturday. The child, James L. Brown, was rushed to VCU Medical Center, where he later died Sunday afternoon.

Marcus Williams, 27, was arrested and charged prior to the toddler's death, but sheriff's deputies said more charges are likely.

"Mr. Williams has been charged with felony child neglect as well as malicious wounding. We're working in conjunction with Hanover County commonwealth attorney's office to determine which additional charges we'll be placing on Mr. Williams,” said Sgt. James cooper with the Hanover County Sheriff’s Office.

Hanover investigators said Williams lived in the Mechanicsville apartment complex with his girlfriend, the toddler’s mother.

They said the boy’s mother was at work this past weekend, when she left her two-year-old son in Williams' care. The boy was found unconscious with “obvious signs of trauma," according to Cooper.

Marcus Williams (PHOTO: Hanover Sheriff's Office)

Marcus Williams (PHOTO: Hanover Sheriff's Office)

That morning neighbors tell CBS 6 they sensed something wasn't right when they heard yelling and commotion coming from inside Williams' apartment. They called sheriff's deputies.

"They were able to make their way into the apartment. They get into the apartment and they find a two- year-old child, James Lee Brown, unconscious, they immediately summons Hanover Fire and EMS,” said Cooper.

Neighbors said the tragic news is hard to understand.

Alex Markey said he saw Williams with the two-year-old from time to time.

“I couldn't bring myself to even think of something like that. I love my son too much you know,” said Markey. “I couldn't imagine someone being so driven toward aggression. Who knows what was going on, I couldn't tell you."

The Hanover Sheriff’s Office is working with the Medical Examiner’s Office to determine the scope of injuries that led to Brown’s death.

Williams is being held at the Pamunkey Regional Jail.

Anyone with information about this case was asked to call the Hanover County Sheriff’s Office at 804-365-6140 or Crime Stoppers at 804-780-1000.

News tips about this case can be emailed here.

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