A Michigan mother and her boyfriend will spend decades in prison for beating her 7-year-old son to death in what the family described as a “sick, demonic, ritual-like crime.”
Alisha Hollamon, 25, and Avion Traylor, 23, both pleaded guilty to second-degree murder last month in the 2023 death of Deshawn Williams, court records show. Hollamon received a sentence of 20 to 40 years behind bars, while Traylor was sentenced to between 28 and 60 years in prison, Detroit Fox affiliate WJBK reported.
Detroit police responded just after midnight on October 22, 2023, to a home on the 3700 block of Hurlbut Street following reports of child abuse. Officers found Deshawn suffering from apparent scars and abrasions across his face, back, and chest. Paramedics rushed him to the hospital, where he was pronounced dead.
Prosecutors said during the couple’s arraignment that it appeared the boy “lived a nightmare,” according to the Detroit News.
Deshawn died from blunt force trauma to the head and pelvis—the latter broken in half. “It looked as though he was dragged across a rough surface,” Assistant Prosecutor Tina Ripley said, per the News. She added, “There are just simply no words to describe how absolutely brutalized Deshawn was. Based on the facts and evidence we have, Deshawn lived a nightmare.”
Authorities indicated that it was Traylor who inflicted the abuse, while Hollamon stood by and did nothing. The couple was originally charged with felony murder, first-degree child abuse, and torture. As part of a plea deal, the state dropped the latter two charges.
During sentencing, Deshawn’s aunt, Krystal Hollamon—Alisha’s sister—expressed her anger at Traylor in court. She described her nephew’s death as a “sick, demonic, ritual-like crime” and called Traylor evil, stating that his mother “gave birth to a demon,” according to a report by WJBK.
Wayne County Third Circuit Court Judge Paul Cusick described the case as one of the worst he has witnessed in his nearly 30 years as a judge and criminal defense lawyer. The judge said he viewed videos where Deshawn was “crying for his life,” underscoring the horrific nature of the abuse.
This tragic case highlights the devastating consequences of child abuse and serves as a somber reminder of the importance of protecting vulnerable children.
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https://lawandcrime.com/crime/crying-for-his-life-mom-and-boyfriend-beat-7-year-old-boy-to-death-in-sick-demonic-ritual-like-crime/