<r><URL url="</s>Judge Rules Army Can Be Sued In Child Abuse Death - Honolulu News Story - KITV Honolulu<e></e></URL><br/>
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<B><s></s>HONOLULU -- <e></e></B>A federal judge Wednesday cleared the way for the mother of an abused little girl to sue the U.S. Army over her death.Talia Williams, 5, died after months of beatings by her father, Army Spec. Naeem Williams, in their military apartment at Wheeler Army Air Force Base. Talia’s stepmother Delilah pleaded guilty to encouraging and participating in the abuse. Naeem Williams faces trial on murder charges that could bring the death penalty.Talia’s biological mother, Tarshia Williams, sued the Army, alleging that military police and army employees failed to investigate or report evidence Talia was being abused.The Army argued it should not be sued, even if it made mistakes, because it was not under a legal duty to investigate evidence of child abuse. Attorneys for Tarshia Williams said Army employees and military police missed or ignored clues that Talia was being abused at home.In a ruling issued Wednesday, Judge Alan Kay said that the Army did have a duty to investigate child abuse, and there was enough evidence of negligence for the case to go before a jury. That trial is scheduled for January.</r>
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<B><s></s>HONOLULU -- <e></e></B>A federal judge Wednesday cleared the way for the mother of an abused little girl to sue the U.S. Army over her death.Talia Williams, 5, died after months of beatings by her father, Army Spec. Naeem Williams, in their military apartment at Wheeler Army Air Force Base. Talia’s stepmother Delilah pleaded guilty to encouraging and participating in the abuse. Naeem Williams faces trial on murder charges that could bring the death penalty.Talia’s biological mother, Tarshia Williams, sued the Army, alleging that military police and army employees failed to investigate or report evidence Talia was being abused.The Army argued it should not be sued, even if it made mistakes, because it was not under a legal duty to investigate evidence of child abuse. Attorneys for Tarshia Williams said Army employees and military police missed or ignored clues that Talia was being abused at home.In a ruling issued Wednesday, Judge Alan Kay said that the Army did have a duty to investigate child abuse, and there was enough evidence of negligence for the case to go before a jury. That trial is scheduled for January.</r>