Lakewood Ranch man charged with death of 17-month old boy

LAKEWOOD RANCH — A Lakewood Ranch man was arrested and charged with the murder of his live-in girlfriend’s 17-month-old son Monday.

Richard Williams, 35, of Bradenton, was arrested at 10:45 p.m. Monday and charged with the murder of William “Quincey” Pollard at the couple's apartment in the 6200 block of Rosefinch Court, in Summerfield Hollow, according to a Manatee County Sheriff’s Office arrest report released Tuesday.

The alleged murder is only the second murder to occur within the boundaries of Lakewood Ranch. The last murder was committed in January 2013 when Ina Gross, 78, a beloved community member and local volunteer, was found murdered in her Lakewood Ranch home.

Detective James Wischler wrote in his arrest report that an autopsy determined a blow to the child's head resulted in his death less than an hour after the blow was inflicted.

Williams made his first appearance before Manatee County Circuit Judge John Lakin Tuesday. His bond was set at $750,000, and Williams cannot have contact with minors without court supervision.

The arrest report states Quincey’s mother, Courtney Pollard, left for work at 2:10 p.m. July 11. Williams was left in charge of Quincey and his own daughter for the evening.

At 9:35 p.m., Pollard received a call from Williams saying that something was wrong with Quincey. Pollard told police Williams was crying when he called her.

When Pollard arrived home a few minutes later, she found Williams on the floor cradling her son.

When she observed her son, the report states she screamed, “Rick! We have to go to the hospital right now!”

Williams drove to Lakewood Ranch Medical Center while Pollard performed CPR on her son in the car, according to the report.

Lakewood Ranch Medical staff performed life-saving rescue efforts on Quincey for a half hour before pronouncing him dead at 10:38 p.m., according to the report.

Later that evening at the hospital, Williams told police he put Quincey to sleep face up in his Pack 'N’ Play around 8 or 9 p.m. The report states Williams found Quincey sleeping soundly two other times when he checked on him.

Williams reported he found Quincey face down in a pillow and saw he had vomited, according to police.

Williams said he called his girlfriend after Quincey's breathing became labored.

Asked by police why he didn’t call 911, Williams said he "didn’t know what to do," according to the report.

After the autopsy was complete Monday, Williams was interviewed by police again and denied hitting the boy. Williams stated the injury must have occurred when the boy slipped in the bathtub earlier in the evening.

“He said there was no mark, and Quincy never cried,” the report states.

The report states an autopsy performed on the boy revealed “the blunt force trauma to the back of the head” was inflicted by Williams, “who was the only person present who could have inflicted the trauma to the child’s head.”

Williams has an arrest history that includes three arrests for domestic battery.

Contact Kurt Schultheis at [email protected].