Authorities in Cleveland, Ohio, are investigating a deeply disturbing case after a mother reported that her five-year-old daughter was brutally beaten, assaulted, and scalped by a group of children, all believed to be under the age of 10.
The child’s mother, Antavia Kennibrew, said she was left in shock when she found her daughter severely injured and nearly unrecognizable. “I literally saw the worst thing ever! I saw my daughter unrecognizable,” Kennibrew told reporters. “I couldn’t wrap my head around it.”
According to Kennibrew, she dropped her daughter off at a family member’s home on September 13. At some point, the little girl managed to walk out of the house on her own. Not long after, she was allegedly attacked and beaten by a group of neighborhood children.
Kennibrew said she learned of the assault when someone called to tell her emergency crews were treating her daughter several blocks away. When she arrived, she was horrified by what she saw. “My daughter was not my daughter,” she said. “Her hair was shorn from her head. She had bruises and blood all over her body. Her eyes were filled with blood. Her lips and mouth were filled with blood. Her nails had debris and dirt stuck in them.”
Cleveland police have confirmed they are investigating but have not released many details, citing the young ages of those involved. In an official statement, the department said: “The Cleveland Division of Police Sex Crimes and Child Abuse Unit is actively investigating a case involving multiple children under the age of 10, both as victims and as suspects of the investigation.
Given the sensitive nature of the matter, the release of further information at this time could jeopardize the integrity of the investigation and violate the constitutional rights and privacy of those involved.”
No charges have been filed, and police say the investigation remains ongoing. Kennibrew said the attack has left her daughter traumatized, both physically and emotionally. The child is now receiving therapy as part of her recovery. “She’s physically, emotionally, and mentally hurt,” the mother said.
“I want her to just be somewhat of a normal five-year-old again.” The case has shocked the Cleveland community, with many expressing outrage and disbelief over the ages of the suspected attackers. While Kennibrew says she is grateful for the support she has received so far, she is still searching for answers. “I just want to know how this could happen,” she said. “She’s just a baby.”