PHILADELPHIA (KYW Newsradio) — Philadelphia District Attorney Larry Krasner said there will be a larger investigation into the circumstances surrounding the death of 10-year-old Malayshia Alford led by his office. Alford allegedly died at the hands of a foster parent, 36-year-old Carprice Williams, who has been charged with murder.
“If we determine that a certain person is involved in criminal activity then there may be more charges,” Krasner said at a press conference on Thursday. “If we determine that there was a gap or a failure, that may provide more insight.”
The district attorney would not confirm or deny whether a grand jury would be convened to investigate. It is illegal to disclose when one will be convened, but Krasner did heavily hint that one could happen.
“One of the tools that is available to a prosecutors office that is not available to other entities is to convene a grand jury and to conduct proceedings in ways that are properly and legally secretive,” he said.
Krasner was also asked about a previous case in which 3-year-old Hope Jones was beaten to death while in foster care in 2022. Prosecutors agreed to allow her appointed guardian to plead no contest to third degree murder charges and a judge sentenced to eight to 20 years behind bars.
No independent investigation was announced after Jones’ case.
“The fact that it has occurred again is significant all by itself and there are many specifics of this case that in my opinion warrant this deeper dive investigation, only one of them being that it happened again,” said Krasner.
