Cops Went Looking for a Child Molester. They Found Mummified Remains

NEWARK — Police arriving at a home to arrest an alleged child molester say they found eerie surprises at his residence -- mummified human remains and an alter to an unknown deity.

On Thursday, members of the Essex County Prosecutor’s Office, Special Victims Unit along with Detectives from the Newark Police Department executed a search warrant at the Newark home of 53-year-old Robert Frank Williams, the prosecutor's office said.

They were arresting him after investigating a report that he'd sexually assaulted a 13-year-old girl over the course of several months, the prosecutor's office said. It did not say who'd made the report or how the child might be connected to Williams.

But while there, they found mummified human remains in a bin in a closet, the prosecutor's office said. Detectives also found an alter to an unknown deity in his bedroom, it said.

The prosecutor's office didn't say if there were any indications as to who the remains had been, or where they came from. It also didn't say if it was aware of any religious affiliation of Williams' that would have explained the alter.

Williams has been charged with first-degree aggravated sexual assault for allegedly engaging in an act of penetration upon on a child younger than 13 years of age, first-degree endangering the welfare of a child for the alleged production of items depicting the sexual exploitation or abuse of a child, second-degree sexual assault upon a victim who was between the ages of 13 and 15, second-degree luring, third-degree endangering the welfare of a child for allegedly engaging in sexual conduct with a child, and second-degree desecration of human remains.

Authorities are asking anyone with to contact the Essex County Prosecutor’s Office tips line at 1-877-TIPS-4EC or 1-877-847-7432.