A mother and her two partners have been arrested and charged with murder and child endangerment in the death of her 7-year-old son, who was found dead in a closet in their Cincinnati home. Police discovered the severely abused child, identified as William Evans, on Thursday.
According to authorities, the boy suffered blunt force trauma to the head, along with burns and other physical injuries. Hamilton County Coroner Lakshmi Sammarco described the scene as horrific, stating that the boy's head was fractured with bones separated. "In my 21 years of law enforcement experience, this is probably one of the most disturbing examples of child abuse that I’ve witnessed: physical beatings and blunt force injuries from striking devices on the face, torso, back, and upper and lower extremities," said veteran homicide detective Kyle Smith during a court testimony.
Investigators believe the child was subjected to water torture and burns before his death. The 7-year-old was reportedly found duct-taped inside a closet. Sexual abuse has not been ruled out, and the investigation is ongoing.
The suspects, identified as mother Kaitlin Evans, 38, and her live-in partners Nessa Keaney, 23, and Kirby Rankin, 33, were allegedly involved in torturing and killing William. They have been arrested and are being held on $1 million bond each, with an additional $100,000 requirement for all three defendants.
The boy's other biological parent, who was not charged, expressed devastation in court, stating, "Willie was my life. I trusted you to care for him." This parent claimed they had been kept from the child for nine months.
Evans' lawyer indicated that the defense might argue that another individual was responsible for the child's death, while Kaitlin Evans' role may be presented as a failure to act.
The Cincinnati Police Department and the Hamilton County Coroner’s Office have not immediately responded to requests for comment.