A 13-year-old Michigan girl who was found dead on Monday reportedly came to school with injuries months before her death.
Kayleene Hairabedian, who used to be Keimani Latigue’s sixth-grade English teacher, shared with the Toledo Blade that Latigue often showed up at school with injuries the previous year. Hairabedian mentioned that she and other teachers brought this to the attention of authorities, although it is uncertain whether any action was taken.
Describing the situation, Hairabedian stated, “She would have marks on her neck, back, and stomach. She consistently had bruises and appeared scared to return home.”
READ: Slain 13-Year-Old Girl Was Raped, Nearly Decapitated & Had Hands Cut Off
Latigue went missing from her residence in Toledo on March 17. A week later, she was discovered deceased on the second level of a house that had been set on fire. The Lucas County coroners determined that her cause of death was multiple cuts to her neck. As per FOP official Brian Steel, she was sexually assaulted, had her hands removed, and her throat was nearly severed.
On Monday, the day Latigue’s body was discovered, an arrest warrant was issued for her father, Darnell Jones, 33, 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.
Reports indicated that Latigue lived with her grandmother for the past five years. The grandmother reported Latigue missing on March 18, a day after she came home and found the house in disarray.
Jones’ arraignment was originally scheduled for Wednesday. However, it was postponed because he remains hospitalized for a gunshot wound he sustained in Tuesday’s SWAT standoff in Columbus that ended with his arrest.
A motive in Latigue’s murder remains undisclosed. The Toledo Blade reported that Jones is in stable condition.
[Feature Photo: Handout]
