Mother found guilty of killing 3-year-old daughter

A jury unanimously agreed on Friday that a mother murdered her 3-year-old daughter and dumped the child's body in a ravine.

Adrienne Williams, 27, was found guilty of third-degree murder, tampering with evidence and abuse of a corpse for killing Adrionna Williams.

Several of the jurors had tissues in their hands when they came back in to the courtroom and looked as if they’d been crying. One juror wiped away tears as the verdict was read. When the foreman said they found Williams guilty, Williams burst into tears, put her head on the table and sobbed uncontrollably.

Grandmother Sonya Crosby and her son, Jarren, the father of 3-year-old Adrionna, had waited for four days for the jury to hold Williams responsible for the June 2015 murder.

"I'm not surprised. We wanted justice and we got it,” Crosby said.

Closing arguments were presented on Tuesday, and the jury spent six hours deliberating before being sent home. Jurors resumed deliberations Wednesday morning, at one point asking for the definitions of reasonable doubt, circumstantial evidence and premeditation. The judge sent the jurors back to deliberate on Thursday after they said they were deadlocked.

Allegheny County detectives had testified that they found Adrionna’s body in a Swissvale ravine. They said she was left in a pile of dirt, with a few scratches and bloodshot eyes as the only visible trauma to her body. Police charged Williams several days after the child's body was found.

The defense on Tuesday had the opportunity to make its case. However, attorneys did not call any witnesses and Williams did not testify. Throughout the trial, Williams maintained her innocence.

"I feel bad for Adrienne now too. That's why I struggle because I feel bad for her at the same time. I'm happy and I'm sad,” Crosby said.

The jury had three charges to consider: first-degree murder, third-degree murder and involuntary manslaughter.

"This is an extremely emotional case. And with an emotional case, they want to make sure that they get it right,” Channel 11 legal expert Phil DiLucente said Thursday.

Williams faces 40 years in jail and is scheduled to be sentenced in 90 days.

Stay with Channel 11 News and WPXI.com for continuing coverage.

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