May 24, 2013
News
Mother of Children Killed in Fire Lied About Whereabouts
NewsCentral Staff
A Macon mother whose three young children were killed in a house fire in February made her first court appearance Thursday after being charged with their murder.
29-year-old Colethia Williams made her first appearance in Bibb County Magistrate Court Thursday, charged with murder, child neglect and lying to police.
The charges follow a fire at her home that took the lives of three of her young children and left a fourth critically injured.
Long-time friend of Williams, Debra Carter says she saw the mother the night of the fire.
"She just made a mistake. We all make mistakes so we're not perfect.” Carter told WGXA. "Her eyes were swollen. I could see that she'd been crying."
An arrest warrant obtained by WGXA says Williams lied about her whereabouts the night of the fire. She first told police she was at a convenience store. She later recanted saying she was at her boyfriend's house.
The warrant says Williams was negligent when she left her children at home alone, drawing the charges of child neglect and murder.
While all this is new information, neighbors say they're still trying to cope.
"I'm still sad. I hate to see that happen. I hate to see the children get burnt up and I hate to see her have to go through the trouble she's going through" said Carter. "I think she's been punished enough, after she done lost the kids"
Carter wasn't aware of the information on the arrest warrants but says she will continue to support her friend and hopes everybody will keep the family in their hearts.
"You know they say you pray about it and everything will work out."
The arrest warrant also states that Williams lied to police about her boyfriend's name, initially calling him Michael Jackson when his name is Michael Green.
Fire investigators say the fire originated in a back bedroom and not where the kids were sleeping. They still haven’t identified a cause but say it's not suspicious.
