Malayshia Alford, 10, was found in a vehicle in South Jersey after a search involving Philadelphia police and the FBI.
PHILADELPHIA, PA — The foster mother of a 10-year-old West Philadelphia girl who had been reported missing was charged with murder Thursday after investigators found the child dead inside a car in Lindenwold, New Jersey, authorities said.
Malayshia Alford had been the subject of an intensive search after she was reported missing Oct. 26 from the 500 block of North Simpson Street. Philadelphia police, FBI agents and community members searched the neighborhood and nearby areas for days. Prosecutors said Thursday that investigators now believe Malayshia was last seen alive several days earlier, on Oct. 22. Her foster mother, Carprice Williams, 36, faces murder and other charges in connection with the girl’s death.
Assistant District Attorney Ashley Toczylowski said investigators obtained surveillance video that appeared to show Malayshia’s body being removed from the West Philadelphia home where she had been living. Authorities used that evidence to trace a vehicle and locate a person who provided information that helped lead police to the child, according to prosecutors. Investigators found Malayshia’s body about 11 p.m. Wednesday inside the trunk of a vehicle in Lindenwold, Camden County.
A preliminary examination by the New Jersey Medical Examiner’s Office determined that Malayshia died from blunt force trauma and classified her death as a homicide, prosecutors said. Authorities have not publicly provided a detailed account of when or how the fatal injuries occurred. Williams has been charged with murder, endangering the welfare of a child, tampering with evidence, abuse of a corpse and related offenses. The charges are allegations, and the case has not been adjudicated.
The investigation began after Williams reported Malayshia missing on Oct. 26. Officials said Williams initially told police that the girl had left the Simpson Street home that morning to walk to a school bus stop but did not return later in the day. Malayshia’s relatives also told news organizations that Williams had suggested the child might have gone to her biological mother, but relatives and police did not find her there.
As investigators reviewed the timeline, questions emerged about when Malayshia had last been seen. Prosecutors said surveillance footage showed her at the West Philadelphia home on Oct. 22. Family members said they were told she did not attend school the following day or on Oct. 26. Law enforcement sources also described inconsistencies in information investigators received during the early stages of the case.
The search grew during the first week of November as Philadelphia police and federal agents canvassed the neighborhood, reviewed surveillance recordings and sought information from residents. Pennsylvania State Police issued a Missing Endangered Person Advisory saying authorities believed Malayshia could be at special risk of harm or injury. Investigators also searched part of Cobbs Creek Park on Wednesday after remains were discovered there, but those remains were determined to be from an animal.
Malayshia had been living in foster care in West Philadelphia. Her aunt, Yolanda Brown, described her in an interview with The Philadelphia Inquirer as a shy and smart child with three siblings. Relatives and community members distributed missing-person fliers as the search continued, while neighbors reported seeing officers, search dogs and federal agents working around the North Simpson Street home.
Police Commissioner Kevin Bethel said after the discovery that Malayshia deserved safety, love and the opportunity to grow up. City officials also said the circumstances surrounding her death and the systems responsible for her care would require further examination. Authorities have not publicly announced a motive, and investigators were continuing to examine whether anyone else played a role in moving or concealing the child’s remains.
The homicide investigation remained active Thursday night as prosecutors prepared to move the criminal case forward. Additional evidence and details about Malayshia’s death are expected to emerge through court proceedings, while authorities continue investigating the events between the last confirmed sighting of the child and the discovery of her body in New Jersey.
Author note: Last updated November 5, 2026.