Sushi M. Staples and the trash can outside of her home (WQAD screenshots)
A 43-year-old mother in Illinois may not have to spend any time in jail after she admitted to hiding the death of her son, whose body was found in a trash can at her home wearing only a pair of Spider-Man pants. Sushi M. Staples on Thursday appeared in Rock Island County Court where she formally pleaded guilty to one felony count of endangering the health of a child resulting in death related to 10-year-old Zion Williams, court records reviewed by Law&Crime show.
The plea came as part of a deal reached with prosecutors, who agreed to drop charges of concealing the death of another, failure to report the death of a child, and obstruction of justice by destroying evidence in exchange for Staples’ guilty plea
According to a report from The Dispatch-Argus, Staples’ attorney, public defender Hany Khoury, said the terms of the plea agreement allow the presiding judge to sentence Staples to a minimum of probation or a maximum of up to five years in a state correctional facility
As previously reported by Law&Crime, authorities say Williams died from an accidental, self-inflicted gunshot wound and that Staples refused to report the boy’s death because doing so would have prevented her from being able to collect certain state benefits.
A detective investigating the circumstances of the boy’s death provided sworn testimony in which he stated that two of the victim’s siblings told investigators Williams was “playing” with a loaded firearm before his death.
Rock Island Police Department Detective Jonathan Shappard explained during Staples’ preliminary hearing in August 2023 that Williams’ two siblings told police that the victim died because he was “playing with a handgun and accidentally shot himself.” The accidental shooting allegedly happened in the basement of the family’s home.
It’s not clear who owned the gun the boy was allegedly playing with or how he came into possession of the firearm.
Shappard also testified that when he interviewed Staples, she “stated several times that she did not have a son” until she finally admitted to moving the little boy’s body because she “didn’t want her other four children to locate his body in the basement.” He also noted dryer sheets “in every vent of the house,” likely placed there to conceal the smell of Williams’ decomposing body.
Williams’ body was discovered in July 2023 when police responded to the family’s home in regards to a tipster who had contacted the Illinois Department of Children and Families. At the scene, authorities found the boy’s body stuffed in a closed garbage that was located inside the garage. Staples was subsequently arrested.
Officials said he appeared to have been inside the canister for at least eight months. Police believe the child died in December 2022. Rock Island County Coroner Brian Gustafson previously told Law&Crime’s Brandi Buchman he agrees with the assessment regarding Zion Williams’ likely time of death.
Staples is currently scheduled to appear for her sentencing hearing at 1 p.m. on Feb. 16.
Have a tip we should know? [email protected]
