Man jailed on murder charge in death of girlfriend’s child

FORT SMITH — A 25-year-old man was charged with first-degree murder in the death of the 18-month-old daughter of his girlfriend.

A news release from Sebastian County Prosecuting Attorney Daniel Shue said Tyree La’Mont Williams was charged Friday after the Arkansas medical examiner’s office concluded that the girl died Tuesday from bluntforce abdominal trauma.

A probable-cause affidavit included with the news release said Williams admitted to punching the victim in the stomach “a couple of times.” He also admitted to having struck her in the past and to having left bruises on her body, authorities said.

Williams was being held in the Sebastian County jail without bail Friday. He is scheduled for arraignment Wednesday in Sebastian County Circuit Court.

Police were called to Sparks Regional Medical Center about 4:15 p.m. Tuesday after a couple arrived at the emergency room carrying the dead toddler. They were the girl’s mother, Sierra Johnson, 20, and Williams, who was described by police as a live-in boyfriend.

Williams was arrested on a charge of being a felon in possession of a firearm, according to Circuit Court records, after police searched the apartment where Johnson and Williams lived.

A check of his criminal history revealed that Williams had been convicted of a felony in LeFlore County, Okla.

Circuit Court records also showed Johnson had been charged in Sebastian County Circuit Court in early January with possession of drug paraphernalia, a felony, and misdemeanor possession of marijuana.