A mother and her boyfriend are now facing murder charges in connection to the death of a 10-year-old boy, police said. Police said the boy died from injuries he sustained from being abused, and he was living in Florida with his biological mother and her boyfriend at the time. Investigators s aid Kimberly Mills and a man brought a 10-year-old, later identified as Xavier Williams, into an emergency room in Tavares, Florida on Feb. 22, 2025. The child was reportedly covered with bruises and burns and was treated by medical staff. The man, later identified by police as Andre Walker, is Mills’ boyfriend, according to authorities. The doctors originally said the boy was in critical condition and they were not sure if he was going to survive. He was airlifted to an another hospital for additional care and later died of his injuries. “A lot of us in our department are parents, and it was hard not to separate myself. I’m usually pretty good at it, but with something so egregious, it was hard not to feel something,” Detective Courtney Sullivan, with the Tavares Police Department, said. Before the upgraded charges were announced, Mills was previously charged with aggravated child abuse while her boyfriend faces charges including aggravated child abuse, accessory after the fact to aggravated child abuse and tampering with evidence. Police said Mills lived in Connecticut with Williams and his biological father for a period of time. The boy’s father still lives in the state. The biological father flew to Florida after the arrests were made and has been there ever since, police said. Mills and Walker have both pleaded not guilty to all charges. A candlelight vigil for Williams is being planned for this Saturday in downtown Tavares. ...read more read less