Child services in an Ohio county investigated a family member of 13-year-old Kei’Mani Latigue before she was found dead inside a vacant residence.
Why It Matters
Latigue was reported missing by family on March 18. Officials issued an abduction warrant for the child’s father, Darnell Jones, on March 23.
A murder warrant was also issued for Jones after Latigue was found dead in Toledo on March 24. He was arrested the next day in Columbus.
Brian Steel, president of the Columbus Fraternal Order of Police, told reporters that the victim in this case was a teenager who was “murdered, raped, had her hands cut off, and her throat almost cut off.”
What To Know
The executive director of Lucas County Children Services (LCCS), Randy Muth, said at a news conference on Tuesday that the agency has three reports of possible abuse against Latigue.
Toledo Police Department
“At no point in our involvement with Kei’Mani was there any mention of Darnell Jones by anyone in the family, by anyone involved with the family or by anyone associated with the schools,” Muth said.
The reports stemmed from two separate allegations of “excessive physical discipline” from Kei’Mani’s grandmother, Dorothy Latigue. The incidents happened in 2023 and 2024. One of the investigations was initiated by a teacher who called the agency.
Muth said Dorothy admitted to using physical discipline and Kei’Mani stated that she understood the reason for it. Kei’Mani indicated during both investigations that she felt safe in the home.
LCCS spoke to Kei’Mani alone during its investigations.
Kei’Mani and Dorothy both told child services that they were the only ones residing in the home. Muth said LCCS found it would be “inappropriate” to ask the juvenile court to remove Kei’Mani from the home.
Muth also commented on media reports featuring community members who said they called the agency multiple times about Kei’Mani’s care in the past year.
“This is a concern to us here at Lucas County. We want to be clear: we have no record of any call from a mandated reporter or a community member for an entire year prior to her murder,” Muth said.
He asked anyone who thinks they made a report about Kei’Mani since March 2024 to reach out to LCCS at its family center hotline, 419-213-3833.
What People Are Saying
Muth, at a news conference on Tuesday: “Both of these assessments, I look back, and I say ‘there’s nothing I say we wish we would’ve done differently.’ We did everything you would expect is consistent with best practice.”
What Happens Next
Muth said LCCS will be conducting an internal investigation into its handling of Latigue’s case and requested a formal review by the state agency.
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