Stepmom admits duct taping, whipping, stomping, body slamming child

HONOLULU (HawaiiNewsNow) - "It was very hard, it was very painful to know that my daughter went through all that pain," says Tarshia Williams, the birth mother of Talia Williams, the 5-year old girl who was beaten to death.

Tarshia is sitting in the courtroom watching the dealt penalty trial for Naeem Williams.  The two had a bitter custody battle over the girl, a battle that Naeem won.  Talia -- who had developmental issues -- was sent to live with him and his new wife, Delilah Williams.

Delilah took the stand Friday and described in detail the horrific abuse she and her husband inflicted on the little girl daily while they lived in Wheeler Army housing in 2005.

"I yelled at her... called her retarded, stupid... said I hate you, I wish you never came here," admitted Delilah Williams.

Delilah also said they would duct tape the girls arms, head, chest and thighs to a bed post.  They would duct tape her eyes, so she wouldn't see the hits coming, duct tape her mouth, to muffle the screams and cries.  Then, they'd whip her with a belt, sometimes for up to an hour.

Delilah said one day before the beating, Talia begged her to stop.

"She was saying that she was going to be good... and 'no mommy' ... and I just kept taping her," said Delilah, showing no emotion.  "I taped her in the same manner that he did ... and beat her with a belt.  When I got tired, I un-taped her."

Delilah did break down at one point, when she talked about stomping on Talia for wetting herself.  She says she stomped on her chest and stomach until she felt a crack under her foot.  It was the girl's ribs.  She also noticed Talia had defecated on herself, so she put her on the toilet and started pushing her stomach until the toilet broke.

When Talia fought back, scratching her, Delilah said she got mad, grabbed the child by her hair and slammed her head against the bathroom wall, denting it.  She says she then told the girl to go to her room.  Delilah then admitted, she left the home ... to get her nails done.

"I'm devastated," says Tarshia Williams, "I'm so hurt I wasn't there to help my daughter."

Tarshia was in South Carolina and said she had no idea what was going on in Hawaii.  She says she would talk to her daughter on the phone but Talia was young, delayed and didn't express herself well.

Tarshia has a picture of Talia on a pendant that she clutched constantly through Delilah's testimony Friday.  Tarshia says she was able to keep it together in court, but then broke down when I interviewed her.

"It doesn't make sense how human beings can do that to a little girl.  It hurts me so much.  My poor baby."

Delilah also admitted, they did not let Talia sleep on furniture in her room, no bed, no blankets, no pillows.  She slept on the cold, concrete floor every night.

She also said she and Naeem pulled the girl out of school because people starting noticing injuries like black eyes, bruises on her arms, legs and buttocks.  After Talia was pulled from school she was left home alone every day.  She was supposed to stay in her room, and was not allowed to eat or drink anything.  When she snuck food, she got punched in the stomach.

Delilah has pleaded guilty and will serve 20 years in prison after testifying against her husband.  Her testimony could take a week.

Naeem Williams' attorneys admit that he beat the girl every day too, but says Delilah caused the fatal injuries.  He could get the death penalty if convicted.

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