In a heartbreaking incident in Illinois, a 10-year-old boy, identified as Zion Williams, was found lifeless in a trash bin behind his residence, wearing only Spider-Man-themed pants. The young boy’s death is suspected to be the result of an accidental self-inflicted gunshot wound.
During a court session, a detective revealed that Zion’s siblings had told investigators that the boy had been handling a loaded firearm before his untimely demise. This information was made public through courtroom video footage released by a local CBS affiliate in Rock Island, Illinois.
The court proceedings are part of a case against Zion’s mother, Sushi Staples, 37, who is facing multiple felony charges. These charges include obstruction of justice, failure to report the death of a child under 13, destruction of evidence, and concealment of a death. The concealment charge is based on allegations that Staples disposed of her son’s body in the trash, where it remained for almost a year.
Authorities believe that Staples chose not to report her son’s death to continue receiving certain state benefits. During a preliminary hearing, Detective Jonathan Shappard of the Rock Island Police Department shared that Zion’s siblings had informed detectives that Zion had accidentally shot himself while playing with a handgun in the family’s basement.
The question of who owned the gun and how Zion got hold of it remains unanswered. Shappard also testified that Staples initially denied having a son during her interview. She later admitted to moving Zion’s body, stating she didn’t want her other four children to discover his body in the basement. Shappard pointed out the presence of dryer sheets in every vent of the house, presumably to cover up the smell of Zion’s decomposing body.
As previously reported, police found Zion’s body in a garbage can in the family’s backyard garage in July. Staples was arrested following the discovery. Officials estimate that Zion’s body had been in the canister for at least eight months, indicating that the child died in December.
Rock Island County Coroner Brian Gustafson agreed with the estimated time of death. Heather Tarczan, a spokesperson for the Illinois Department of Children and Family Services, referred to Zion’s death as a “profound tragedy.”
An anonymous call to the department’s hotline in July 2023 led to a welfare check on a child. The caller was advised to report their concerns to local law enforcement, and the department also contacted law enforcement directly.
Staples is currently being held on a $500,000 bond and is scheduled for her next court appearance on November 27.