Man Faces Murder Charges in Infant's Death

The Manatee County Sheriff’s Office has made an arrest in the Saturday death of a 1-year-old boy.

According to the sheriff’s office, William Pollard was brought to Lakewood Ranch Medical Center on Saturday with injuries that ultimately claimed his life. During the course of its investigation, deputies learned that Richard Allen Williams, 35, was babysitting the child on Saturday while the mother was at work. Williams and the mother live together, an email to media from the sheriff’s office stated.

“When the mother came home from work, the child was having problems breathing and she took him to the hospital,” the email stated.

An autopsy performed on Monday showed injuries consistent with child abuse, leading detectives to label the death a homicide, the email stated. Williams was arrested on murder and domestic battery charges and was booked into the Manatee County Jail Tuesday.

No further details are available at this time.

Booking photo courtesy of the Manatee County Sheriff’s Office