Prosecutors say 10-year-old Malayshia Alford was killed before her body was discovered inside a vehicle in South Jersey.
PHILADELPHIA — The foster mother of a 10-year-old West Philadelphia girl who had been missing for more than a week was charged with murder Thursday after investigators found the child’s body inside the trunk of a car in Lindenwold, New Jersey, authorities said.
Carprice Williams, 36, faces murder and several related charges in the death of Malayshia Alford, according to Philadelphia prosecutors. Investigators said Malayshia was last seen alive at her foster home on Oct. 22, four days before she was reported missing. A preliminary examination determined that she died from blunt force trauma and classified her death as a homicide. The charges against Williams are allegations, and the case has not been adjudicated.
The discovery ended a search that drew Philadelphia police, FBI agents, relatives and community members across West Philadelphia and surrounding areas. Police initially announced that Malayshia had last been seen around 7:30 a.m. Oct. 26 on the 500 block of North Simpson Street, where she lived. Prosecutors later said evidence developed during the investigation changed that timeline and indicated she had last been seen alive several days earlier.
Assistant District Attorney Ashley Toczylowski said surveillance video obtained by investigators appeared to show Malayshia’s body being removed from the North Simpson Street home shortly before 2 a.m. Oct. 26. Authorities said the footage helped investigators identify a vehicle and locate a person they wanted to question. Information obtained during that investigation eventually led officers to a vehicle parked at an apartment complex in Lindenwold, Camden County, late Wednesday night.
Police found Malayshia’s body in the vehicle at about 11 p.m., according to prosecutors and local reports. Her remains were taken to the New Jersey Medical Examiner’s Office, where an examination determined that she died from blunt force trauma. Prosecutors said there were indications that Malayshia had suffered abuse but declined to publicly describe her injuries in detail or provide a complete account of the circumstances surrounding her death.
Williams was charged with murder, endangering the welfare of a child, tampering with evidence, abuse of a corpse and other offenses, authorities said. Prosecutors have not publicly announced a motive. They also have not provided a full timeline establishing when Malayshia was killed or detailed what investigators believe happened inside the home before her body was moved. Authorities have continued examining whether anyone else played a role in transporting or concealing her remains.
The investigation began after Malayshia was reported missing Oct. 26. Authorities said Williams initially reported that the girl had left the North Simpson Street home that morning to walk toward a school bus stop and failed to return later in the day. Relatives told news organizations they received other information about where Malayshia might have gone, but efforts to locate her were unsuccessful. Investigators later identified inconsistencies in the early account and began reconstructing the days before the missing-person report.
Philadelphia police repeatedly asked the public for help finding Malayshia as the search expanded. Officers, federal agents and community volunteers canvassed neighborhoods, reviewed surveillance recordings and searched several locations. Investigators also examined an area of Cobbs Creek after remains were reported there Wednesday, but authorities determined those remains were from an animal and continued searching elsewhere.
The case also raised questions about Malayshia’s care before her death. Relatives said she had been living in foster care in West Philadelphia, and her aunt described her to local media as a shy, smart child with three siblings. The School District of Philadelphia said Malayshia attended Robert E. Lamberton Elementary School and expressed condolences to her relatives, friends and classmates. Williams has also been identified in local reporting as an employee of the school district.
Police Commissioner Kevin Bethel said Malayshia deserved safety, love and an opportunity to grow up. Mayor Cherelle Parker said the girl’s death had deeply affected her, while City Council President Kenyatta Johnson called for scrutiny of the circumstances surrounding Malayshia’s disappearance and the systems responsible for her care. Community members gathered Thursday, leaving balloons and other memorial items as news of her death spread.
Authorities said the homicide investigation remains active as the criminal case against Williams moves forward. Prosecutors have not announced whether additional people will face charges, and investigators continue working to establish what happened between Malayshia’s last confirmed sighting on Oct. 22 and the discovery of her body in New Jersey on Nov. 4.
Author note: Last updated November 5, 2026.