Women accused of giving Zzzquil to infant set for late March trial

Posted on February 28, 2025
The case heads to trial in March. (Photo courtesy: Flickr/file)

By WMBD TV

PEORIA – Two women, accused of murder in connection with the death of a 13-month-old boy, are scheduled for trial in late March.

Tasheaunna R. Williams, 26, and Nausicca Thomas, 27, both pleaded not guilty and had their cases set for a March 31 jury trial. That date will likely be continued given the gravity of the charges — first-degree murder and aggravated battery .

They are accused of giving Williams’ son, Hezekiah, an “excessive dose” of the sleep aid, ZzzQuil.

Hezekiah Williams also showed signs of severe malnourishment, poorly healing wounds, bruising and bleeding diaper rash, when he was brought to the hospital on Dec. 18, 2024. Shortly afterwards, he was in a coma and on a ventilator. The baby was on life support for several days before dying on Dec. 27, 2024.

Neither woman spoke much during the hearings, which lasted about three minutes. Both were clad a jumpsuit of a Peoria County Jail and both appeared in court by way of video conferencing from the jail.

They face at least 20 years and possibly up to 100 years behind bars. That’s more than the normal range for murder due to the age of the child.

Currently, they are at the jail after being arrested earlier this week. They had been initially charged with just aggravated battery and released from custody on pretrial release. However, after the new charges, they were arrested.

Peoria County prosecutors have asked a judge to hold them pending the outcome of their case. That hearing will take place Thursday, March 6.

WMBD TV can be reached at [email protected].

Blogs

Labor Day – Expanding voting rights for all

By Mike Matejka Because of COVID, there is no Labor Day Parade this year.  It’s always a great event for our everyday workers to march proudly down the street and enjoys the festive crowd. If there had been a parade, this year’s Labor Day theme was to be “150 years of struggle: your right to vote.” …

Is federal mobilization the answer?

By Mike Matejka As President Donald Trump threatens to send federal marshals into Chicago, over the objections of Illinois Governor J.B. Pritzker, recall another Illinois Governor who protested the incursion of armed federal personnel into the city.   Those federal troops, rather than calming, escalated the situation, leading to deaths and violence. Illinois poet Vachel Lindsay…

In these troubled times, to my fellow white Americans

By Mike Matejka Our nation is at a unique watershed in human relations. African-Americans have been killed too many times in the past before George Floyd, but the response to this man’s death is international and all-encompassing. I was a grade-schooler during the Civil Rights 1960s. I watched Birmingham demonstrators hosed and the Selma – Montgomery…

Workers’ Memorial Day – Remember those whose job took their life

Looking around our community, when we say employer, most will respond to State Farm, Country, or Illinois State University.   We too often forget those who are building our roads, serving our food, or our public employees. COVID-19 has made us more aware of the risk.  Going to work every day for some people means…