Two-year-old Emorri Green was found unresponsive and covered in bruises at her father's home in Peoria, Illinois on February 1, 2022, and was pronounced deceased at the scene. The autopsy determined her cause of death as blunt force trauma due to physical abuse and ruled the death a homicide, documenting injuries including multiple bruises, lacerations, patterned marks, severe organ damage, and deep tissue damage on almost every area of her body. Her father, 25-year-old Shamari R. Williams, told law enforcement he whipped the toddler with a belt for urinating on the couch and had also whipped her the day before; his paramour stated she provided the belt because she did not believe hand-spanking was working as discipline. The child had been living with her father for approximately one to three months after her mother became homeless following the closure of a DCFS placement case in July 2021. The child and her siblings had been in DCFS foster care due to a shooting at the mother's home in September 2020 and were returned to the mother in mid-2021, with the court ordering the case closed without the recommended after care services despite a state law requiring a minimum of six months of such services. Williams was arrested and charged with first-degree murder.
Contexts/Conditions
Is there any mention of child drug ingestion or overdose?
Is there any mention of a drowning incident (either intentional or accidental)?
Is there any mention of a firearm incident?
The fatality report describes that in August/September 2020, "the Department initiated a child protection investigation after the DCFS hotline received a report that a person was shot at the mother's home in the presence of her children." This shooting led to the children being taken into DCFS protective custody.
Is there any mention of inappropriate supervision (e.g., child wandered off and drowned)?
The fatality report states "In December 2019 and May 2020, the Department initiated two child protection investigations into allegations that the mother allowed inappropriate individuals to watch the children." This is an explicit mention of inappropriate supervision, although both investigations were ultimately unfounded.
Is there any mention of inflicted injury? (e.g. slapped, punched, kicked, choked)
The fatality report states the father "whipped her with a belt" and that "Both the father and paramour also reported he had whipped her the day before." The paramour also stated "the father previously used his hand to hit the child." The autopsy confirmed injuries consistent with physical abuse on almost every area of the body.
Is there any mention of malnutrition, starvation, or dehydration?
The fatality report states that in October 2016, "the child's then 9-month-old sibling required hospital admission for possible malnutrition as the then 19-year-old mother did not follow the feeding plan for the sibling's severe food allergies."
Is there any mention of medical neglect?
The fatality report describes that the Department took protective custody of the child's siblings "due to ongoing concerns related to missed doctor's appointments, failure to feed the sibling properly, failure to have necessary medicine on hand, not following through with early intervention when both siblings were delayed." These are clear indicators of medical neglect of the siblings.
Is there any mention of a motor vehicle crash or incident?
Is there any mention of a murder-suicide incident?
Is there any mention of outdoor elements (including hot car deaths)?
Is there any mention of prenatal substance exposure (including fetal alcohol syndrome or neonatal abstinence syndrome)?
Is there any mention of sexual abuse?
Is there any specific mention of shaken baby or abusive head trauma?
Is there any mention of prolonged abuse or torture (including restraints, captivity)?
The text describes a pattern of escalating violence against a 2-year-old child. The paramour stated "the father previously used his hand to hit the child, but the paramour did not believe it worked as discipline and gave the father a belt to hit the child." The father beat her with a belt on at least two consecutive days for normal toddler behavior (urinating). The autopsy documented "multiple bruises, lacerations, severe organ damage, patterned marks on almost every area of the body, and deep tissue damage on her arm and back." Injuries covering nearly every area of the body suggest repeated severe beatings over a period of time, and the systematic belt-beating of a 2-year-old for normal developmental behavior constitutes depraved behavior extending beyond typical physical abuse.
Is there any mention of an unsafe sleeping environment?
Individuals Involved
Was an adoptive parent or guardian involved in the death?
Was a biological father involved in the death?
The fatality report identifies the alleged perpetrator as the "Child's father." It states the father "whipped her with a belt" for urinating, and the autopsy found injuries consistent with child abuse on almost every area of her body. The father was charged with first-degree murder. The news articles identify the father as Shamari R. Williams, 25.
Was a biological mother involved in the death?
Was a day care worker, babysitter, or nanny involved in the death?
Was a female paramour or friend involved in the death (e.g., girlfriend, stepmother)?
The fatality report states "The paramour stated that after she felt just spanking her wasn't working, she gave the father a belt to use." The father's paramour (female) provided the belt used in the fatal beating and was present in the home. The report also notes the paramour "confirmed to law enforcement that the child had been staying with the father and paramour for the past three months" and that she "gave the father a belt to hit the child."
Was a foster parent involved in the death?
Was a male paramour or friend involved in the death (e.g., boyfriend, stepfather)?
Was another adult relative involved in the death? (e.g., grandfather, aunt)
Was a sibling involved in the death?
Child Characteristics
Was the child adopted?
Was the child homeschooled (including "cyberschooling") or taken out of school?
Was the child in foster care at the time of the incident?
Was the child living with relatives at the time of the incident (but not parents)?
Is there any mention of a neurological developmental child disability? (e.g., autism, intellectual disability, nonverbal)
Is there any mention of a physical child disability? (e.g., feeding tube)
Is there any mention of prematurity or low birthweight?
Is there a history of child protection reports prior to death (for this child or siblings)?
The fatality report documents an extensive history of child protection reports involving the family. It details: three unfounded investigations involving the mother in 2015; an October 2016 investigation for possible malnutrition of a sibling; a December 2016 indication of the mother for neglecting both older siblings; a March 2019 investigation regarding a sibling's father being a sex offender; a September 2019 investigation at the child's birth; two investigations in December 2019 and May 2020 regarding inappropriate individuals watching the children; and the September 2020 investigation after a shooting at the home.
Does the child have a history of foster care (but not in care at time of incident)?
The fatality report documents that the child and her siblings were placed in DCFS care in 2020 after a shooting at their mother's home. The children were placed in a traditional foster home and the case remained open as a placement services case. In mid-2021, the children were returned to the mother, and the court terminated wardship and closed the case in July 2021. The child was not in foster care at the time of her death in February 2022 but had a documented history of foster care.
Is there a history of a sibling death (separate incident from this death)?
Parent/Caregiver Factors
Was an adult charged or arrested for the child's death?
The news article states "Shamari R. Williams, 25, was identified as a suspect and arrested for aggravated battery and first-degree murder after the toddler's death was ruled a homicide." The fatality report confirms "The father has been charged with first degree murder" and "The father remained in jail awaiting trial for charges of first-degree murder."
Is domestic violence by the parent/caregiver referenced?
The fatality report states the placement supervisor noted the mother needed to "address her pattern of relationships with partners that placed her children at risk, including a past history of domestic violence." Additionally, private agency management told investigators that "throughout the placement case, the mother allowed men in her life who had violent backgrounds or were sex offenders."
Is there any mention that the death occurred in a temporary shelter or while homeless?
Is an intellectual disability of the parent/caregiver referenced?
Is the mental health of the parent/caregiver referenced?
Is a history of arrests or criminal charges for the parent/caregiver referenced?
Is substance use by the parent/caregiver referenced?
Notable Details
The fatality report details significant systemic and policy failures regarding after care services. Despite Illinois law (20 ILCS 505/7.8) requiring a minimum of six months of after care services following reunification, the court ordered the placement case closed without after care services, overriding the caseworker's recommendation for five to six months of monitoring. The caseworker reported the judge "denied the caseworker's request to discuss after care services and ordered the case closed." The caseworker had planned to assist with school enrollment, childcare, housing, and medical appointments. The report also notes that "DCFS Procedures 315 does not currently address what permanency staff can do if the court denies or does not support after care services." DCFS legal staff confirmed "the court did not always value after care services." Additionally, the first private agency was removed by the court due to high staff turnover, despite that agency having raised concerns about the mother allowing dangerous individuals around her children and disagreeing with unsupervised visitation. The family had no DCFS involvement for over six months between case closure and the child's death.
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