Gloria Williams, 38, received a 50-year prison sentence on Tuesday after pleading guilty to two counts of injury to a child in October. She was accused of leaving her three remaining children to live with the decaying body of their brother. After the boy’s death, she moved in with her boyfriend, who has been convicted of the brutal act that took her son’s life.

The investigation began when the oldest brother, Jordan, called 911 on October 24, 2021, revealing the horrifying truth that Kendrick had been dead in their home for over a year while their mother had abandoned them. At the time of his death, Kendrick was just 8 years old, according to police reports.

During this tragic period, the three surviving brothers, aged 15, 10, and 7, endured unimaginable circumstances, living in close proximity to the body of their deceased sibling for an extended period. Their ordeal highlights the severe neglect and abuse faced by these children.

During the sentencing hearing, Williams reportedly expressed profound remorse for her actions. She also stated in an affidavit that she believed the children were better off away from her boyfriend, while her defense argued that her failure to act stemmed from fear of him.

According to the testimonies provided to investigators, the boys revealed that it was their mother’s boyfriend, Brian Coulter, who brutally beat Kendrick to death. They described witnessing the horrific incident, where he kicked and struck Kendrick until he became unresponsive. The youngest brother recounted the chilling moment he saw Kendrick stop blinking and his eyes turn black, a traumatic memory etched in their minds.

Reports from CrimeOnline indicate that the brothers recounted the relentless abuse perpetrated by Coulter, who mercilessly kicked and punched Kendrick across various parts of his body, including the back, face, legs, arms, and testicles, leading to his untimely death. During Coulter’s trial, one of the brothers claimed that Kendrick was punished because he selfishly consumed all the water available in the room, revealing the disturbing rationale behind the violence.

After the brutal beating, Kendrick’s body was reportedly covered with a blanket and left in the bedroom. When authorities arrived, they found his remains in an advanced state of decomposition, nearly skeletonized, with insects crawling over what was once a vibrant life. The coroner later determined that Kendrick’s date of death was November 20, 2020, marking a tragic end to his young life.

According to reports from KRIV, Williams lived in the residence alongside her son’s corpse from November 2020 until March 2021. She subsequently moved in with her boyfriend, leaving her other children behind to fend for themselves. They remained in that dire situation until Jordan made the harrowing 911 call in October 2021.

Despite Kendrick’s tragic death, Williams continued to receive financial assistance for him, accumulating a total of $2,000 per month intended for her three disabled children, of which Kendrick was one. Prosecutors revealed that this government support enabled her to maintain two separate residences while neglecting her children.

Upon their arrival, authorities discovered the residence in deplorable conditions, devoid of furniture, with filthy carpets, and infested with roaches. The surviving brothers reported that their mother and Coulter intermittently visited, delivering food, but during those visits, Coulter would also physically assault them, compounding their trauma and suffering.

Meanwhile, about 25 minutes away, Williams and Coulter were living in a fully furnished apartment stocked with groceries, highlighting the stark contrast in living conditions and the extent of their neglect towards the children left behind, according to KRIV.

The Harris County Examiner’s Office determined Kendrick’s cause of death to be “homicidal violence,” following the discovery of numerous injuries consistent with blunt-force trauma, a tragic indicator of the violence he endured.

Coulter was sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole for the murder of Kendrick Lee back in April, ensuring that he will face justice for his horrific actions.

Williams has faced accusations of neglecting her children, failing to intervene in the abuse, and not providing necessary food and medical care to Kendrick prior to his death, raising serious questions about her parental responsibilities.

In an exclusive interview with KHOU from jail in October 2021, Gloria denied any knowledge of her son’s death occurring in the home. This claim contradicts investigators’ findings, as they assert that she admitted to knowing her boyfriend had killed Kendrick back in November 2020 but failed to report it out of fear.

She is also accused of tampering with evidence by altering, destroying, and concealing the body to evade justice. Police reported that she initially admitted to being aware of Coulter’s actions and expressed her fear of losing her remaining children to Child Protective Services, which influenced her decision to remain silent.

When questioned about her abandonment of the children, she claimed, “I checked on them every two weeks.” However, she did not explain how she failed to notice her son’s decomposing body during these visits, raising further suspicions regarding her neglect.

KHOU also interviewed the children’s paternal grandmother, Melody Robinson, who revealed that an older child, a 17-year-old girl at the time, had sought refuge with her shortly before Kendrick’s death due to concerns over Coulter’s abusive behavior.

“She was exhausted from witnessing the abuse inflicted on her siblings, and when she tried to intervene, [her mother] expelled her from the home,” Robinson recounted, shedding light on the family dynamics that contributed to this tragic situation.

If you are experiencing or witnessing child abuse, please call the Childhelp National Child Abuse Hotline at 1-800-4-A-Child or 1-800-422-4453, or visit www.childhelp.org. If you believe a child is in immediate danger, call 911.