Dad charged with killing 2-year-old son during visitation due in court (Berkeley County, South Carolina)

We first reported on this story when it broke over two years ago. As we have observed before, the custody issues in these cases tend to be "forgotten" as trial approaches and this case is no exception.

From this source:

Roger Williams had custody of the boy for the past two months, and was supposed to return the child to his mother Tuesday night. The boy's parents are in a custody battle.

Williams also had four outstanding warrants for his arrest, and police said he is not cooperating with authorities as they search for his son.

Dad is identified as ROGER ANTHONY WILLIAMS.

http://www.postandcourier.com/article/20121008/PC16/121009312

Roger Williams, accused in death of child, due in Berkeley County court

Natalie Caula

Monday, October 8, 2012 1:41 a.m. UPDATED: Monday, October 8, 2012 2:54 a.m.

More than two years ago, Roger Anthony Williams was desperately trying to cover his tracks after burying his 2-year-old son’s body in a trash can with concrete, according to investigators.

Williams’ alleged efforts to cover up the death of Rodricus Williams were shattered on July 8, 2010, when he was arrested and charged with homicide by child abuse. The trial for the 31-year-old Summerville man is expected to begin this week in Berkeley County. It’s where the father’s former girlfriend might even testify against him. The Berkeley County coroner ruled that Rodricus Williams, 2, died of blunt trauma to the head. Testimony to begin Tuesday morning in Williams trial.

Rodricus Williams was found in a trash can in Orangeburg County. The discovery was made after Williams and his former girlfriend Grace Trotman concocted a story that the boy had gone missing after falling into the water off The Battery in downtown Charleston on July 6, 2010.

Search crews spent hours looking to no avail. According to affidavits, Trotman admitted to an FBI agent that she made up the missing-child story to cover up the boy’s death.

Williams said the boy had an ongoing health condition that needed to be monitored.

Trotman eventually led authorities to the boy’s body, which was concealed in a trash can filled with 400 pounds of concrete behind an abandoned house in Bowman. The boy had been dead for about a month.

Authorities said the child died after his father, Williams, refused to get him medical help and forbade Trotman from contacting a doctor. The Berkeley County coroner ruled that the child died of blunt trauma to the head.

Trotman, 26, of Longbourne Way in Summerville, pleaded guilty Feb. 16 in circuit court in Charleston County to one count of homicide by child abuse and one count of desecration of human remains. She has not yet been sentenced.

Trotman’s attorney, Keith Bolus, has said Trotman’s sentencing hearing would take place after Williams’ trial. Trotman signed a plea agreement with prosecutors in which they agreed to drop a charge of unlawful conduct toward a child in exchange for her guilty plea on the other two charges.

Trotman also agreed to cooperate with authorities in exchange for a 20-year sentence on each remaining charge, to be served concurrently. She has been cooperating with prosecutors since her plea, Bolus said.

Ninth Circuit Assistant Solicitor for Berkeley County Bryan Alfaro would not confirm Trotman’s involvement in the case, citing rules of professional conduct regarding pre-trial publicity.

Jury selection is expected to begin today in circuit court in Moncks Corner.