Courtnie Breann Williams

A Tyler man who was facing a capital murder charge in the death of his 3-year-old daughter has been sentenced to 50 years in prison in the child’s death.

Manuel Williams, 40, changed his plea to guilty on a lesser charge Wednesday in the 241st District Court after having faced a charge of capital murder of a person under 10 in the death of Kodie Williams.

Jail records show Williams pleaded guilty to injury to a child/elderly/disabled person with intent to cause serious bodily injury/mental. The state had previously said it would seek the death penalty for Williams but not for the girl’s mother, 31-year-old Courtnie Williams, who was also charged with capital murder in the death. Jail records do not list an upcoming court date for Courtnie Williams.

Kodie Williams was pronounced dead at the hospital on July 15, 2020, after emergency personnel found her unresponsive at the 500 block of North Glenwood Blvd. in Tyler and tried to revive her.

The parents were originally arrested on charges of injury to a child causing serious bodily injury, and they have remained in the Smith County Jail on bonds of $1 million each.

In the arrest affidavit, photos show visible trauma marks on the child’s torso, head, forehead, ears, neck, chest, arms, abdomen, back and legs. Police believe the alleged beatings took place over a period of time as the injuries “were in all different stages of healing.”

On the night of her death, Kodie Williams was seen on a FaceTime video call facedown. It was apparent that she had defecated and vomited, according to the affidavit.

Courtnie and Manuel Williams would not provide an explanation or history for the injuries on their child. The Williamses said their child was under the care of Manuel Williams when the child became unresponsive, the police document stated.

The parents blamed the injuries on each other, with Courtnie Williams saying Manuel Williams grabbed the child’s arms forcefully, struck her with a belt and punched her and Manuel Williams saying he saw Courtnie Williams slap the child across the face, according to the affidavit.