Mother Daughter Abuse

Iola Mother Speaks About Her Daughter's Death in Phoenix

Last night we told you about the death of eleven year old Ame Deal in Phoenix Arizona.

The child was locked in a plastic locker after police say she endured months of abuse.

"I trusted them, with all my heart, and now its broken. It ain't never coming back," says Shirley Deal, the victim's mother.

Last Friday, Shirley Deal learned of her daughter's death through Facebook.

The last time she saw 11 year old Ame was in 2005.

Shirley had driven with Ame from their home in Pennsylvania to see her two other kids, Davi and Cynthi, in Midland, Texas.

Shirley says Ame's father and his mother physically abused her and when she tried to leave, they threatened her and wouldn't let her take the kids.

"They hit me, they abused me," says Deal.

When Shirley would call her family to try to talk to her kids, they wouldn't let her speak to them and eventually they moved.

"He promised me, 'You could see her, you could see her.' I never seen her in 6 years and it feels like its my fault and everybody says no it's not your fault, he made me. I tried to take her out of that house, I tried," says Deal.

After Midland, they moved from state-to-state, then eventually down to Arizona where little Ame would live her last days.

Shirley says she had no idea her daughter was being physically abused.

Then she heard what happened.

"She wanted a popsicle, she got a popsicle and they put her in a foot locker, in 103 degree temperature," says Deal.

She remembers her daughter as a blonde haired, blue eyed cute little girl. Those memories are all she has left of her.

"And there better be something done about it. They better be in prison for life. That's life your messing with--a baby-she was not a baby, but she was my baby," says Deal.

Ame's grandmother, aunt, and two cousins face charges in the death of the eleven year old.

They are expected to have their court hearing August 8th.

Thousands pay tribute to slain mother, daughter - Pomerado News ...

Thousands pay tribute to slain mother, daughter

By Pat Kumpan

Approximately 2,000 mourners attended funeral services for a slain Rancho Penasquitos mother and daughter Thursday at Maranatha Chapel in 4S Ranch.

Donna Williams, a 31-year veteran San Diego Police department  detective in the child abuse unit and her daughter, Briana “Bree” Williams, 18, were killed early July 18 in their Rancho Penasquitos home.

Williams’ son, Brian Rockwell Williams, 24, allegedly stabbed to death his mother and sister and has been charged with the two murders. He is awaiting a psychiatric evaluation to determine if he is mentally fit to stand trial.

Thursday’s service, conducted by Police Chaplain Dale Lowrimore, reflected the Williams’ strong faith, as well as their passion for a life filled with humor and family ties.

Fellow police officers, family and those who knew both mother and daughter, remembered special standout moments about the two women.

Executive Assistant Chief David Ramirez called Williams the “bedrock” of the child abuse unit, a role model to younger officers.

Ramirez reminded mourners that not many women, especially black women, served in the department when Williams began in 1980.

In the mid 1980s, she was recognized for tracking down stolen cars, but it was her transfer to the child abuse unit 1989 where she found “her true calling,” Ramirez said. She had rare skills in interacting with juvenile crime victims and was able to get them to open up in ways that other interviewers could not, according to Ramirez.

“She gave victims a voice,” Ramirez added.

She received an in-house citation of merit for her work investigating the 2002 murder of Sabre Springs second-grader Danielle van Dam, the assistant chief noted.

Detectives Cindy Brady, Pamela Lawson and other coworkers, said they are reminiscing these days about Williams’ favorite sayings and moments when she said, “it’s all good,” or, just “m-m-m,” or danced the cha-cha at work.

Williams was described as a mom who took special delight in being a mother. She was her children’s biggest fan when it came to watching them play sports.

At times during the service, the attributes of mother and daughter seemed cut from the same cloth: passionate about life, friends, family and sports.

Donna Williams played softball in school, as did her daughter at Mt. Carmel High School and in recreational softball, most recently as a pitcher with the San Diego Renegades.

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