Sophia Williams, a 43-year-old mother from Georgia, was sentenced to life on Tuesday without the possibility of parole after being convicted of malice murder, felony murder, child cruelty, and aggravated battery in August. She killed her 4-year-old son, Anthony Vice, in March 2022.
According to a press release from DeKalb County prosecutors, she admitted to ‘disciplining’ him for not being ‘potty trained.’
“She admitted to disciplining him by striking him with her hand, a house slipper, a purse strap, and a charging cord when he did not listen, or when he urinated and defecated outside of the toilet,” read the release.
Mother said she ‘whooped’ her 4-year-old son to death ‘because he would not use the toilet’ and ‘was not potty trained’ https://t.co/3pThn82Twt
— Law & Crime (@lawcrimenews) December 11, 2025
On the fateful day in 2022, a 13-year-old child who was staying with them revealed that Williams ‘whooped’ Anthony because “he would not use the bathroom”.
She then claimed that the boy accidentally hit his head the week prior, and added that she had nothing to do with any injuries he sustained on what proved to be the day of his death.
According to the 13-year-old boy, Anthony appeared to be ‘dizzy’ and fell to the floor after being assaulted by Williams. Moreover, the DA’s office said that she then placed her son on the bed and threw water on him.
A Georgia woman is going to prison for the murder of her four-year-old son. On Wednesday, DeKalb County District Attorney Sherry Boston announced that 43-year-old Sophie Williams had been sentenced to life without the possibility of parole plus 10 years for the death of her son, pic.twitter.com/NYk47onZhn
— N’ Cuffs (@NCuffs1) December 11, 2025
“He revived momentarily, but became unresponsive again. His only movements throughout the night were reflexive, his arm jerking and his leg kicking,” added the DA’s office.
Williams immediately used her phone to search phrases such as ‘remedy for concussion’ and ‘coma – symptoms and causes’. Shortly after that, she fell asleep.
Williams woke up around 5 a.m. to Anthony making a ‘low grunting sound’ and soon realized that his body had become ‘completely limp.’
Prosecutors say Williams panicked after realizing that Anthony had stopped breathing. She then called his father and then 911.
“Williams told officers that she did not want to call for help because of the bruises on Anthony’s body,” said the DA’s office.
The release further stated that Anthony, who died from blunt force trauma to the head, would have survived had Williams asked for medical help ‘when she first observed the signs of head injury’.
“An autopsy showed that Anthony’s cause of death was blunt force trauma to the head, and he would likely have survived if Williams had sought medical care when she first observed the signs of Anthony’s head injury.”
According to local ABC affiliate WSB, DeKalb County Assistant District Attorney Sarah Hillren was shocked by the severity of Williams’s assault on Anthony. She called her actions ‘heinous’ and ‘cruel.’
“Because the conduct alleged was so heinous, so cruel, it is the state’s position that she should not be permitted to live out any portion of her life in the community,” said Hillren.
There is no place for violence in a civilised society, especially when it affects a four-year-old child. Let’s hope Williams’ fate conveys this message loud and clear, paving the way for a world with a safe and caring environment for children.
