Two teenage girls, 16 and 15, in South Carolina are being charged with murder for the brutal killing of a 13-year-old girl.
Police say the younger girl was beaten, stabbed, and then burned inside an empty house. They described the crime as “gut-wrenching” and deeply disturbing... Continue reading here ▶
Columbia Police Chief William Holbrook used words like “brutal,” “heinous,” “vicious,” “gruesome,” “monstrous,” and “disturbing” to describe the murder.
The victim, Ka’Niyah Baker, was found dead after a fire at a vacant house in Columbia last Wednesday night. She had been reported missing on January 12th and was last seen about 20 miles from where she was found.
The coroner confirmed that Ka’Niyah was not accidentally killed. She had been beaten, stabbed, and then burned.
Chief Holbrook said that Ka’Niyah and the two suspects had all run away from home at some point in the last two months. Ka’Niyah was originally from Sumter and was living in foster care in Columbia.
One of the suspects, a 16-year-old girl, had also been reported missing by her mother on January 12th. She has a history of misbehavior, including disorderly conduct and property damage. She was also wanted in Georgia for removing her ankle monitor. She had dropped out of high school in January 2024 and was a frequent runaway.
The other suspect, a 15-year-old girl, had also dropped out of high school last December and was also a frequent runaway.
Ka’Niyah’s cause of death was blunt force trauma (being hit with a hard object).
The prosecutor said they will seek justice in this case. The police have not yet released a motive for the killing. The police chief said that the lack of reaction from those involved is particularly troubling.
Flyers had been distributed on January 16th saying Ka’Niyah was missing and believed to be in danger. However, she had already been found dead at that point. The police explained that they had put out the missing person flyer because Ka’Niyah’s description matched other missing girls, and they hoped she was still alive.
Chief Holbrook said this has been a very difficult case for investigators. He said the crime is shocking and that there needs to be changes in how young people are supported to prevent such tragedies.
