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Florida mom sentenced to life in prison in killing of 10-year-old son
A Florida mother has been sentenced to life in prison after pleading no contest in the killing of her 10-year-old son, a case prosecutors described as one of the most heartbreaking crimes the community has seen.
LAKE COUNTY, Fla. - A Lake County mother accused of torturing her 10-year-old son to death was adjudicated guilty by a Lake County judge and sentenced to life in prison.
Kimberly Leonie Mills, 38, was adjudicated guilty and sentenced to Life in prison for the murder of her son, 10-year-old Xavier Williams
What we know:
The mother, Kimberley Mills, 38, originally pleaded not-guilty, but in court on Jan. 14, she changed her plea.
She entered a plea of no contest to five counts: first-degree murder, two counts of aggravated child abuse/aggravated battery, and two counts of child abuse of malicious punishment.
As part of Mills' plea, she'll testify against her son's father – her co-defendant – in his trial later this year, the Fifth Judicial Circuit State Attorney’s Office said.
"Our focus has always been justice for this child and accountability for those responsible," Bill Gladson, Fifth Judicial Circuit State Attorney, said. "Mills' plea, which includes truthful testimony against her co-defendant, strengthens our ability to pursue that goal and ensures the fuller story is brought before the court. In doing so, Mills will spend the rest of her life incarcerated. I have no doubt she will think of Xavier every waking day and regret the pain and suffering she made him endure while she repeatedly endures her own."
The backstory:
Kimberley Mills, of Tavares, and her boyfriend, Andre Walker, 37, were indicted in April 2025 with first-degree murder, aggravated child abuse with aggravated battery and aggravated child abuse with malicious punishment following the death of Xavier Williams in March 2025.
Investigators said the couple abused Xavier over several weeks, which led to his death.
Mills and Walker pleaded not guilty to the charges last year.
Couple abused, tortured 10-year-old boy
The backstory:
Mills and Walker took Xavier to a hospital on Feb. 22, 2025, and doctors noticed bruises and burn marks on his body.
While executing a search warrant, investigators found evidence of abuse at the couple’s home. Investigators found copper wire and a 10-pound weight, which they said was intentionally dropped on Xavier’s stomach.
Investigators said Xavier’s younger brother was also being abused by the couple.
After weeks in the hospital, Xavier died on March 21.
What's next:
Mills is set to testify at Walker's upcoming trial.
The Source: This article was written with information from Lake County court documents, a statement from the Fifth Judicial Circuit State Attorney’s Office and previous FOX 35 reporting.