A Maine woman is fighting for her life at Alabama’s UAB Hospital as her family and friends fight to support her and raise awareness about domestic violence.
Her family says 42-year-old Anna Willis, originally from Livermore, is a loving, laughing person.
Right now, she’s in a medically induced coma with third degree burns over more than half her body.
Police say her husband, Riley Willis, now faces multiple charges, accused of lighting her, and their apartment, on fire early Tuesday morning while Anna Willis slept. Riley Willis now has a bond hearing set for Friday morning at 9 a.m.
The Decatur Police Department says officers were called to Summer Courtyard Apartments at about 3:30 a.m. on August 8, 2023. When they arrived, they found Anna Willis had serious injuries. She was taken to UAB Hospital.
Her sister and cousin say her 21-year-old son saved her life. He was in an apartment two doors down when he heard his mother’s screams.
“And her son saved her life. He saved her life, because without him we’d be burying her,” sister Christy Mitchell said.
“Not only did he call 911, he pulled off his own shirt and put out the flames with the shirt, while calling 911 and then emergency showed up,” cousin Heather Costa said.
They say Anna Willis is in critical condition, but that she’s scheduled for what they believe is her third surgery already Thursday, with doctors hoping to attempt the first skin graft.
40-year-old Riley Willis III is being held without bond in the Morgan County Jail, where he is charged with first degree domestic violence, first degree assault, and first degree arson.
The family also says that they thought Anna Willis and her husband had a loving relationship, but that they’ve only just learned about what seemed like small moments of aggression by him in the past, which is why they also want to use their family’s tragedy as another warning about domestic violence.
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