On Friday, Ohio officials said that they found no evidence of abuse before a 13-year-old girl was allegedly abducted and murdered by her father late last month.
Lucas County Children Services told WTOL that it received three reports — one in December 2023 and two in March 2024 — while Kei’mani Latigue was in her grandmother’s care. The agency said they did not remove Latigue from the home following their investigations, which entailed interviews with the teen girl.
Lucas County Children Services said it provided Latigue’s grandmother with “appropriate discipline” methods and referred the family to a care program for children with “complex behavioral health” needs. They also claimed that Darnell Jones, 33, was never named as Latigue’s father, nor did any of the reports accuse him of abuse, according to WTOL.
Latigue vanished from her Toledo home on March 17. A week later, she was found dead on the second floor of a burned-out house. Lucas County coroners said she died from multiple incised wounds of the neck. According to Columbus police Lieutenant Brian Steel, she was raped, had her hands severed, and her throat nearly cut off.
The same day Latigue’s body was discovered, an arrest warrant was issued for Jones for child abduction. He is now charged with murder, felonious assault, and third-degree felony abduction.
Before his arrest, Jones said he last saw Latigue on March 16 after she called and said she was afraid to be home alone. However, police said Jones provided inconsistent accounts of his correspondence with his daughter or her whereabouts.
On Tuesday, Jones was shot during a SWAT standoff in Columbus which ended with his arrest. A local police officer shot Jones after he allegedly brandished a gun during an altercation with a SWAT officer.
Latigue’s grandmother has not been criminally charged. Jones’ arrignment was postponed as he remains hospitalized in stable condition.
[Feature Photo: Handout]
