JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – The mother of Taylor Rose Williams, a 5-year-old Florida girl who was reported missing, has been charged with child neglect and giving false information to investigators. This development follows the discovery of human remains in rural Alabama, according to authorities on Tuesday.
Navy Petty Officer Brianna Williams reported her daughter missing the previous week, telling investigators that the child had disappeared from their home overnight. Williams was later booked at an area hospital after being admitted for an apparent overdose, Jacksonville Sheriff Mike Williams (who is not related to the family) announced during a news conference Tuesday evening.
In a news release, investigators stated that search teams had located human remains in a wooded area between Linden and Demopolis in Alabama. The ID process is ongoing, Fox News reported.
“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,” Sheriff Williams said. The little girl was reported missing from her Jacksonville, Fla., home last Wednesday. Sheriff Williams noted that Taylor’s mother had not spoken with investigators since that day.
An undated photo of Taylor Williams was released by the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office.
Sheriff Williams said that Williams told police she last saw the child in her bed around midnight. She also indicated that an exterior door was open, and that the girl was gone the next morning, according to the report. The sheriff added that Taylor Williams’ father, who reportedly hadn’t seen the child in two years, and her family have been cooperating with police in the investigation.
The mother had been staying at the Jacksonville Navy Air Base where she works, the sheriff said.
UPDATE — Multiple sources tell us Brianna Williams’ condition is very serious tonight: Family says she is on life support; officials say she is in a medically induced coma. We will have the latest tonight at 11 on @FCN2go
Brianna Williams, 27, is from the Alabama county in which the remains were found, First Coast News reported. Furthermore, 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. She enlisted in the Navy seven years ago, military officials said. She was still reporting for duty as of Tuesday morning, WJXT reported.
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.