Ohio officials announced on Tuesday that a state agency will review child services’ handling of abuse allegations that surfaced before a 13-year-old girl was abducted and murdered last month
According to WTVG, Lucas County Children Services executive director Randy Muth said they will conduct an internal review into how they handled abuse claims involving Kei’mani Latigue. The agency received three reports — one in December 2023 and two in March 2024 — alleging Latigue’s grandmother was using excessive discipline on her.
Children Services said one of the reports came from a school employee. In each case, they determined that Latigue was safe in the home and not in imminent danger.
READ: Slain 13-Year-Old Girl Was Raped, Nearly Decapitated & Had Hands Cut Off
Notably, the agency said it had no evidence that anyone was living in the home, including Latigue’s father, Darnell Jones, 33, who is charged with her murder.
According to WTVG, the Ohio Department of Children and Youth will review Lucas County Children Services’ handling of this case. No timeline was given as to when they will start their investigation.
Previously, 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.
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 has not been in court as he remains hospitalized.
[Feature Photo: Handout]
