Cincinnati child abuse and murder investigation

Authorities in Cincinnati, Ohio, have charged three individuals in the death of 7-year-old William Evans-Ellis, a child with developmental disabilities. The victim was discovered unresponsive and bound with duct tape in a closet on August 6.

The suspects, identified as the boy’s biological mother, Kaitlin Elizabeth Evans, and her two partners, Kirby Rankin and Nessa Keaney, face murder and child endangerment charges. Investigators reported that the child suffered extensive injuries, including blunt-force trauma, burns, and suspected water torture. Hamilton County Coroner Lakshmi Samarko determined the cause of death to be blunt force trauma to the head.

Court proceedings revealed the three adults were co-parenting in a polyamorous household. Rankin reportedly admitted to participating in the abuse and implicated the other two defendants. While all three have pleaded not guilty, bond has been set at $1 million for the murder charges. Additionally, the boy’s biological father testified that he had been kept away from his son for nine months through deception.