Two teenage girls from South Carolina, aged 16 and 15, have been charged with murdering a 13-year-old girl.
They are accused of hitting, stabbing, and then burning her inside an empty house... Continue reading here ▶
Police describe the killing as “gut-wrenching” and something that “shocks the conscience.”
“Brutal, heinous, vicious, gruesome, monstrous, and disturbing.
These are the words I’d use to describe this murder investigation,” said Columbia Police Chief William “Skip” Holbrook at a press conference on Saturday.
The victim, Ka’Niyah Baker, was found dead in a fire at an empty house on Cardamon Court in Columbia last Wednesday night.
She was reported missing on January 12. The last place she was seen was about 20 miles away from where her body was found.
“The way she died was not an accident,” said Richland County Coroner Naida Rutherford at the press conference. “Ka’Niyah was hit, stabbed, and burned.”
Chief Holbrook explained that Ka’Niyah was born and raised in Sumter and was living in foster care in Columbia.
Both she and the two suspects have a history of running away from home. Each of them had gone missing in the past two months after leaving their homes.
“The first suspect is a 16-year-old girl,” Holbrook said. “She last lived in Columbia and was reported missing by her mother on January 12. She has a history of bad behavior, like causing trouble, hurting others on purpose, and throwing bodily fluids.
She was wanted by the Department of Juvenile Justice in Georgia for removing her ankle monitor around January 12. She was last enrolled in a local high school in January 2024, but she has since dropped out and often runs away.”
The second suspect is a 15-year-old girl who also last lived in Columbia. “She was also enrolled in a local high school until last December,” Holbrook said. “She has dropped out and frequently runs away from home.”
Describing Ka’Niyah, Holbrook said, “She also had a history of running away.” Her cause of death was injuries from blunt force.
“We are committed to seeking justice in this case,” said Fifth Circuit Solicitor Byron Gipson. No reason for the murder has been given yet.
“When you talk to people involved in such terrible crimes, you look for answers and watch their reactions,” Holbrook said. “But sometimes, when they show no reaction, that’s the most troubling.”
When Ka’Niyah was first reported missing, flyers were made on January 16 saying she might be in danger, according to local ABC and CW affiliate WIS. By then, she had already been found dead in the fire.
“The description of the young woman matched a few other missing girls,” Rutherford explained. “The flyer was sent out hoping she was still alive and that it wasn’t her.”
Holbrook said that Ka’Niyah’s murder “has been a very difficult case” for the police to investigate.
“This really shocks me,” Holbrook said. “We need to improve our system and support our young people. There is too much hopelessness, and we need to make a change.”
