A shocking case of juvenile violence has emerged from Ohio, where a nine-year-old boy stands accused of sexually assaulting and brutally attacking a five-year-old girl. Despite passionate pleas from the victim's mother, the court has allowed the young suspect to return home under electronic monitoring.
Court Proceedings and Emotional Testimony
The unidentified boy appeared in Juvenile Court on Thursday, November 13, wearing a face mask, green Batman hoodie, and black pants. During the hearing, he denied all allegations through his attorney, who requested both a competency evaluation and his client's release to home detention.
Prosecutors outlined disturbing details of the September attack, stating that the five-year-old victim was left naked, beaten, and urinated upon in a field where she remained for hours before being discovered. The state argued for at minimum, home detention with an ankle monitor for the accused.
Mother's Heartbreaking Account
The victim's mother, Antavia Kennibrew, delivered emotional testimony opposing the boy's release. She expressed firm belief that the children involved should not return to their homes, arguing that "their behavior that caused them to do something so evil obviously started at home."
Kennibrew described the profound impact on her daughter, stating "They changed my daughter's life, the way she talks, the way she acts, the way she thinks. They stole her innocence." She revealed that the young perpetrators allegedly took her daughter by the hand and led her to a distant field.
Judge's Decision and Ongoing Concerns
Judge Kristen Sweeney ultimately granted the defense's request, allowing the boy to return home with electronic monitoring. However, the judge expressed concerns about the child's home environment, indicating potential further investigation into his living situation.
The case had previously seen complications when the boy failed to appear in court the week prior, prompting Judge Sweeney to threaten a warrant for his arrest if he didn't appear on the scheduled Thursday hearing.
Kennibrew's earlier Facebook posts detailed the traumatic discovery of her daughter, describing finding the child unresponsive, bloody, with hair pulled from her scalp, and her body covered in bruises. The young victim showed signs of strangulation, a large head lump, and evidence of sexual assault.
The case continues to develop as the court awaits competency evaluation results and considers the involvement of a ten-year-old girl alleged to have participated in the attack.
