Three adults accused in the death of an 11-year-old developmentally disabled boy appeared in a Hamilton County courtroom Friday, where prosecutors outlined allegations of prolonged abuse that investigators say ended in the child’s death.
Kaitlin Evans, 39, the boy’s biological mother, along with Nessa Keaney, 23, and Kirby Rankin, 33, were arraigned [1] on charges stemming from the death of William Evans.
During the hearing, prosecutors told the court the three defendants had been “co-parenting” William, who was developmentally disabled.
A Cincinnati police detective with more than two decades of law enforcement experience testified that the case ranks among the worst examples of child abuse he has encountered.
“In my 21 years of law enforcement experience, this is probably one of the most disturbing examples of child abuse that I’ve witnessed: physical beatings and blunt force injuries from striking devices on the face, torso, back, and upper and lower extremities. Impact injuries to the back of the head,” Cincinnati Police Detective Kyle Smith testified, according to a report from Local 12.
This is 7-year-old William Evans.
He was found dead, tied up with duct tape in a closet. He had signs of being burned and tortured.
His mother and two men pretending to be women were arrested.
The media are lying about the kiIIers, calling them women.
A detective said this… https://t.co/7jfve4SNfd [2] pic.twitter.com/DESobiHjvg [3]
— Libs of TikTok (@libsoftiktok) August 9, 2026 [4]
According to prosecutors, investigators documented injuries across the boy’s body that they said were consistent with repeated physical beatings, blunt-force trauma to the back of his head, water torture and severe burns.
Authorities also told the court that neighbors were unaware a child even lived inside the residence, suggesting William had been isolated during the period investigators believe the abuse occurred.
Court proceedings revealed that Rankin allegedly admitted participating in the abuse and implicated both Evans and Keaney as active participants.
Prosecutors also described the events leading up to William’s death, telling the court that the day before he died, the three adults left the child home alone while taking a family pet to a veterinarian.
The court set bond at $1 million for each defendant on the murder charges and an additional $100,000 on the child endangerment charges.
During Friday’s hearing, Evans’ attorney argued that his client did not cause her son’s death but acknowledged she failed to intervene.
The hearing also included an emotional statement from William’s biological father, who attended the proceedings and addressed Evans directly.
“Willie was my life. I trusted you to care for him,” the father said through tears.
“They kept him from me for the past nine months over lies.”
WATCH:
His comments underscored the family’s grief as criminal proceedings move forward.
Attorneys representing Rankin requested that the court order a competency evaluation, citing documented mental health issues.
The court scheduled a hearing on that request for Sept. 4.
Meanwhile, the criminal case will continue later this month.
A Hamilton County grand jury is scheduled to hear evidence in the case on Aug. 17.
The allegations presented during Friday’s arraignment paint a picture of sustained abuse over an extended period, though the criminal charges have not yet been adjudicated.
The investigation remains ongoing as prosecutors prepare to present evidence to the grand jury.
If indictments are returned, the case will proceed through the criminal court system.
Authorities have not announced any additional arrests or charges beyond those already filed against Evans, Keaney and Rankin.
William Evans’ death has drawn significant attention because of the severity of the allegations described in court and the testimony provided by investigators.
The detective’s description of the injuries and abuse, combined with allegations that the child had been isolated from neighbors and allegedly left alone shortly before his death, formed the central focus of Friday’s hearing.
With competency proceedings scheduled for one defendant and a grand jury presentation set for Aug. 17, the case is expected to continue moving through Hamilton County’s judicial system in the coming weeks.