A Florida mother will spend the rest of her life in prison after pleading guilty to murdering her 10-year-old son in a case authorities described as involving “unimaginable abuse.”
Kimberley Leonie Mills, 38, was sentenced to life behind bars in a Lake County courtroom, according to a Wednesday, Jan. 14 news release from State Attorney Bill Gladson’s office.
As part of a plea deal, Mills agreed to testify against her co-defendant — her then-boyfriend, 37-year-old Andre Dwayne Walker — Gladson’s office said. Walker is expected to go to trial later this year.
Prosecutors said Mills and Walker have been held without bond since April 2025, when they were indicted on charges that included first-degree murder and aggravated child abuse. The boy, Xavier Williams, died on March 21, 2025, after spending nearly a month on life support, the news release stated.
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Police said Williams was hospitalized in cardiac arrest and had bruises and burn marks across his body. Investigators previously alleged that Mills and Walker beat and tortured the child. The boy’s younger brother also told authorities that he and Xavier endured what he described as “unspeakable torment,” according to local NBC affiliate WFLA.
WFLA reported that investigators recovered items such as duct tape, a 6-foot ladder, and a 10-pound weight that police said were used to restrain and injure the child. The outlet also reported, citing police, that weights were allegedly dropped onto the boy’s exposed stomach.
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Gladson’s office said Xavier’s death was ruled the direct result of systematic abuse at Mills’ home in Tavares, Florida.
In a statement included in the news release, Tavares Police Chief Sarah Coursey called the case “one of the most heartbreaking crimes our community has ever faced.”
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“While no outcome can truly bring justice for such a loss, the plea agreement ensures that Kimberley Mills will spend the rest of her life in prison and that her cooperation will help hold Andre Walker fully accountable for his heinous acts,” Coursey said in part.
Gladson’s office added that Williams’ father and extended family supported the plea agreement and the resolution tied to Mills’ admitted role in the case.
