13-Year-Old Ohio Girl Found Dead in Abandoned House, Father Arrested for Rape and Murder

The remains of 13-year-old missing girl Keimani Latigue were discovered in an abandoned Ohio house. Her father, Darnell Jones, has been arrested on charges of rape and murder after making inconsistent statements to the police.

March 28, 2025 – In a horrific case that has stunned the country, the remains of a 13-year-old Ohio girl, Keimani Latigue, who had been missing for almost a week, were discovered in a charred-out abandoned building. Her father, Darnell Jones, has been arrested on suspicion of rape and murder, a day after he appeared on TV to bring attention to her disappearance, The New York Post reported.

The victim was brutally killed, raped, and badly injured, including having deep gashes on her throat and hands, according to Columbus Police Department Lieutenant Brian Steel. The case was one of the most horrific he has worked on, said Mr. Steel, who denounced the crime and referred to the killer as “an absolute animal.”

Jones had earlier told local media about his daughter’s final hours. He stated that on March 16, Keimani, who stayed with her grandmother but was home alone that evening, had called him in terror, claiming she thought someone was attempting to enter the house.

His inconsistent reports of where she was and what he was doing, however, raised eyebrows among investigators, prompting the arrest warrant to be issued.

The 33-year-old suspect was tracked down in Columbus, which is about two hours south of Toledo, where he was discovered to be armed with a firearm during the arrest. He is currently in police custody and charged with a series of offenses, including sexual assault and murder.

The victim’s mother, Tiara Kasten, said the last time she saw Keimani was on March 15, when Jones dropped her off at home. Her grandmother, Dorothy Latigue, later found their residence in disarray, with Keimani’s undergarments near the couch and her pajamas strewn on the dining room floor.

An autopsy report established that the young girl died from multiple incised wounds on her neck. The horrific nature of the crime has caused outrage and sadness among the local community.

Keimani, an honor roll student at her elementary school, was going to get a kindness award this week, a Toledo Public Schools spokesperson said. Her family, friends, and the community are heartbroken following her premature death.

The authorities continue probing into the tragic incident, as demands for justice to be met for Keimani Latigue grow stronger.