Kenyatta Horsford, age 44 of Estate Cane By. THE VIRGIN ISLANDS POLICE DEPARTMENT
ST. CROIX — A minor child had to be airlifted out of the territory for medical attention after sustaining brutal beatings from his stepfather, a probable cause fact sheet filed in the V.I. Superior Court by Police Officer Naemah Daniel has made known. The suspects in this case were identified earlier this week by police as Kenyatta Horsford, age 44 of Estate Cane and Linda Williams, age 33 of Mount Pleasant Apartments.
V.I.P.D. Public Information Officer Toby Derima said Sunday that Hosford was charged with first-degree assault and aggravated child abuse and neglect, while Williams was charged with child abuse, child neglect "and other relevant charges." Horseford was later levied a charge of first-degree attempted murder.
According to the probable cause fact sheet, on Thursday, March 18, at about 4:30 p.m., Officer Williams was assigned to investigate an incident involving a missing minor — whom the Consortium has learned was a boy — after a concerned citizen notified the Dept. of Human Services that a minor was seen vomiting and had bruises about his body in Frederiksted.
Yet even after the incident involving the vomiting minor was reported, the child's mother, Linda Williams, told D.H.S. that her child "was in good health without injuries." However, further investigation by D.H.S. and police patrol units indicated that Williams had presented another minor child posing as the child who was reported missing. After being told that the minor child would be taken from her custody, Williams told D.H.S. that the child was not hers and proceeded to lead D.H.S. and patrol units to several locations with negative results.
Linda Williams, age 33 of Mount Pleasant Apartments (Credit: V.I.P.D.)
Williams and her boyfriend, Horsford, were subsequently advised to travel to the Ancilmo Marshall Command Police Station where they were detained for further investigation, according the fact sheet. At the police station, Officer Daniel made contact with Williams, who said she would direct authorities to the location of her minor child. She took authorities to an unknown Plot in Estate Cane, Frederiksted where the minor child was found inside the home by himself. "I immediately noticed bruises to the minor’s face and the minor was struggling to walk," said Officer Daniel, who further stated that Lt. Marisol Colon aided in transporting the minor to the Juan F. Luis Hospital for treatment.
While at the medical facility, the minor disclosed to Officer Daniel that on or about Friday, March 12, 2021, the minor’s, stepfather, Horsford, assaulted him. The minor stated that while at Horsford’s residence, Horsford tied his hands and hanged him over the door and beat the minor with a belt buckle and extension cord. According to the probable cause fact sheet, the minor was beaten badly after urinating in a bucket inside of the residence. Additionally, Horsford’s residence did not have a toilet or running water and the minor was left there alone.
According to the fact sheet, the minor said he vomited everything he consumed, "however, the only thing that sometimes stay down in the minor’s stomach is water." The minor also revealed that it was not the first time his stepfather had assaulted him, telling investigators that he was in severe pain.
The boy's sister also confirmed the assault of her brother, telling officers that on or about Friday, March 12, 2021, the minor victim was beaten by Mr. Horsford. The sister said the reason the minor victim was beaten was because he had taken an item out of his mother's bedroom without her permission. The sister indicated that when she saw the minor victim, he was bleeding and had injuries about his body and that it was not the first time Horsford had assaulted the minor boy.
According to the probable cause fact sheet, "Contact was then made with Ms. Linda Williams at the Wilbur H. Francis Command Police Station where she was advised of her Miranda Rights, which she stated she understood." Williams said that on or about Friday, March 12, 2021, she and her minor children slept over at her boyfriend Horsford’s residence. She said while at his residence, Horsford carried one of her minor children to another house on the property. The mother said Horsford placed the minor in the house because the minor had taken an item out of her bedroom without her permission. She then stated that Horsford told her he was punishing the minor by making him stand in front of a wall inside of the residence.
The fact sheet stated, "Williams said on Saturday, March 13, 2021, she did not see nor hear from the minor. However, she indicated that she had spoken to a police officer in the area who asked her if she heard a minor child screaming for help. At that point, she attempted to check on the minor, but the door to the house was locked and Horsford told her that she couldn’t see the minor.
"On Sunday, March 14, 2021, in the evening, she finally saw the minor. When she saw the minor she observed bruises on his face and buttocks and also blood in the residence. She said she gave the minor Motrin (a pain killer) because the minor was in pain and had a high fever."
Williams said the minor told her that Horsford assaulted him. She also mentioned that during this week, the minor was beaten again by Horsford with a whip. She concluded by stating that she did not seek any medical assistance for her minor child.
Officer Daniel said that while at the hospital, she made contact with emergency physician Janelle Martin, who stated that the minor had bleeding in the brain, had kidney failure and that one of his lungs was ruptured. "The minor was subsequently admitted to the hospital," said Officer Daniel. "I observed bruises and abrasion to the minor’s entire face, shoulders, back, both hands, legs, and entire buttocks."
