Episode 150: Ka’Niyah Baker

The search for a runaway teen leads investigators down a path filled with trauma and tragedy. What happened to Ka’Niyah?

Episode Media

Scene of the fire at the vacant house on Cardamon Court *(WIS TV)*

Episode Sources

Episode Transcript

Welcome back to Bite-Sized Crime. This week I’m bringing you a case that shocked my local community, one that has stuck with me since it happened a few months ago. The case has sparked important conversations about how we can protect vulnerable children and teens. This episode discusses sensitive topics, so listener discretion is advised.

Ka’Niyah Bernice-Lauren Baker was born in Jacksonville, Florida, in 2011, but she grew up in the town of Sumter, South Carolina, about 50 miles east of the state capital of Columbia. Not much is known about Ka’Niyah’s childhood, but it appears that she was especially close to her grandmother Bernice.

Of course, growing up is hard, and Ka’Niyah was no exception. In July of 2024, just a few months after she turned 13, Ka’Niyah left home at 2am without permission. Her family contacted the Sumter Police Department and reported her missing. Thankfully, Ka’Niyah returned home safely later that day, but it wouldn’t be the last time she took off. A month later, Sumter Police were asking for the public’s help again – Ka’Niyah had missed her 6:30 curfew and her family didn’t know where she was. She was found the next day, unharmed.

Whether as a result of her pattern of running away or for another reason, at some point in the following months, Ka’Niyah was placed into foster care through the South Carolina Department of Social Services. I imagine this was a difficult time for Ka’Niyah. She was taken from her family and friends and sent away from her hometown. She lived with a foster family in the town of Hopkins, a small suburb of Columbia, and was enrolled in a new school. But it wasn’t long before Ka’Niyah was running away again.

On Sunday, January 12, 2025, Ka’Niyah’s foster family contacted the Richland County Sheriff’s Department and reported her missing. While searching for Ka’Niyah, deputies learned that she was seen the next morning in the Greenlake Community off Old Leesburg Road in Hopkins, but she was no longer there. According to an incident report, deputies spoke with someone who told them that Ka’Niyah had run off sometime between midnight and 6am on Monday. They had reason to believe that she may have been headed into Columbia and could possibly be near Farrow Road and Beltline Boulevard, an area of town that wouldn’t have been safe at night, especially for a teenage girl.

Deputies also learned that Ka’Niyah had recently purchased a cell phone. They didn’t know who she was communicating with or if it had anything to do with her disappearance, but they weren’t ruling anything out.

On the night of January 15th, three days into the search for Ka’Niyah, Columbia firefighters responded to a 911 call about a structure fire in the Capital Heights neighborhood off Farrow Road. When they arrived at the scene, they found smoke billowing out of the windows of a vacant house on Cardamon Court. They were able to get the fire under control fairly quickly, but when they entered the home, they discovered the body of what appeared to be a young girl lying on the floor. Although she had been badly burned by the fire, it was clear that she also had other injuries unrelated to the blaze.

Firefighters immediately contacted the Columbia Police Department and notified them that they had a potential crime victim on their hands. Crime scene investigators began documenting evidence while arson investigators focused on finding the origin and cause of the fire. Teams worked through the night and into the next morning; the only information they released to the media was that they were investigating a suspicious death.

Meanwhile, the girl’s body was transported to the Richland County Coroner’s Office for identification and autopsy. Unfortunately, identification would not be easy. According to Coroner Naida Rutherford, identifying unknown minors is always difficult, as most of them do not carry IDs and rarely have fingerprints on file. In this particular instance, the severe trauma to the girl’s body was an added challenge. They would need more information in order to make a positive identification.

Columbia Police reached out to the Richland County Sheriff’s Department to see if they had any missing teenagers that might be a match to their victim. Photos of several missing teens were sent to the coroner’s office, but the damage to the girl’s face made it impossible to match her to any of the pictures.

However, investigators suspected that the girl might be their missing runaway, 13-year-old Ka’Niyah Baker. The coroner requested dental records for Ka’Niyah and asked the sheriff’s department to get DNA from some of Ka’Niyah’s clothing for comparison.

While they waited for the test results, investigators didn’t want to jump to conclusions – if the girl wasn’t Ka’Niyah, then Ka’Niyah was still missing and needed to be found. They decided to release Ka’Niyah’s picture to the media in the hopes that someone would find her alive and well. They specifically mentioned that she was believed to be in danger and asked the public to call in with any tips.

But just a few hours later, they received news from the coroner’s office: their victim was indeed Ka’Niyah Baker. She had been identified through DNA.

Coroner Rutherford released a statement, officially referring to Ka’Niyah’s death as a homicide. “Any death is heartbreaking, but it’s even more challenging to understand when it is a child. Our thoughts and prayers are with her family and friends. Our team will continue to collaborate with law enforcement as we continue to investigate this homicide.”

The news that a 13-year-old girl had been killed and set on fire was shocking to the community, but that was only the beginning. Just two days after Ka’Niyah was identified, Columbia Police held a press conference and announced that they had arrested two suspects in her murder.

The first was a 16-year-old girl who had a history of disorderly conduct and other crimes in South Carolina and Georgia. She had dropped out of high school in Columbia the year before and was a frequent runaway. She had been reported missing on January 12th – the same day as Ka’Niyah – after cutting off her ankle monitor and leaving home. She was currently wanted by the Department of Juvenile Justice.

The second suspect was a 15-year-old girl who was also a frequent runaway and had recently dropped out of high school. Police did not identify either girl due to their age, nor did they say how the girls knew Ka’Niyah. Police Chief Skip Holbrook was tight-lipped about many of the details of the case, not wanting to compromise any future court proceedings.

However, he did not hold back when discussing his feelings about the case. “Brutal. Heinous. Vicious. Gruesome. Monstrous. Disturbing. These are the words I use to describe this murder investigation.”

Coroner Rutherford spoke briefly about Ka’Niyah’s injuries, preferring not to go into graphic detail. She stated that Ka’Niyah’s cause of death was blunt force trauma and that she was, “bludgeoned, stabbed, and burned.” Chief Holbrook specified that they believed the fire was intentionally set in an attempt to cover the crime.

Fifth Circuit Solicitor Byron Gipson also spoke at the press conference, stating that his office would be asking the court to charge both suspects as adults due to the brutal nature of the crime. “We expect to pursue justice in this matter.”

Shock that such a horrific crime could be committed by two young girls rippled through the community. Many city leaders released statements in the wake of Ka’Niyah’s death, lamenting the loss of innocence and emphasizing the need to protect our children. City Manager Teresa Wilson stated, “Ka’Niyah’s death has shaken me at my core. In our beautiful city with so much growth and prosperity, we must continue to ensure that all of our children are protected and surrounded with the resources they deserve and a sense of hope, no matter their circumstances.”

City Councilman Edward McDowell Jr. urged the community to step up. “The pain we feel as a city is profound, but it’s in these moments that we must reflect on our collective responsibility. As a community, we must remain accountable, vigilant, and aware of our surroundings. Every one of us has a role in protecting our youth and shaping a future where such tragedies do not happen. We must be active agents of change and oversight for our young people, and we must come together to support their well-being.”

Ka’Niyah’s murder brought the subject of teen mental health into the spotlight where it should be. Teenagers with adverse childhood experiences such as violence, abuse, or neglect are at higher risk of future violence and abuse. In an interview with USA Today, Coroner Naida Rutherford emphasized that many of the programs designed to help vulnerable teenagers are underfunded and lack resources and personnel. “All of the girls involved [in this case] had some sort of affiliation with systems that were supposed to protect them, and I believe the system failed all three of these young women.”

Chief Holbrook also spoke about the need to fund these programs and provide teenagers with the support they need. “We’ve got some work to do with our system. We’ve got some work to do with our young people. There’s too much despair. And we’ve got to change that.”

Ka’Niyah’s murder also revived the conversation about the very real issue of runaway teens and how communities can protect them. In the true crime space, we often hear about cases where law enforcement dismisses a family’s concerns because their child “probably ran away,” and the case isn’t taken seriously. But the reality is much darker. According to the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children, 93% of the missing children reported to them in 2023 had run away from home for a wide variety of reasons. The danger this puts them in cannot be overstated.

Shortly after Ka’Niyah’s death, Coroner Rutherford posted a video on her social media account speaking directly to teens, impressing on them the dangers that lurked in the world. “You may be running away with someone who has undiagnosed mental illness, with violent homicidal tendencies. You don’t know enough to know what the hell you don’t know.”

She also spoke to parents about using Ka’Niyah’s case as a launchpad for discussion with their own teens. “Be nosey. Know who [your child’s] friends are. Know who they’re talking to… I’m asking you to be so nosey that it’s almost annoying. Show them the story of Ka’Niyah Baker.”

In an interview with The State newspaper, Rutherford said, “It’s a cautionary tale for teens who may be running away and think that there is no danger in it, but I don’t like the fact that [Ka’Niyah] being a runaway keeps being brought up. She didn’t deserve to die.”

In the weeks after Ka’Niyah’s death, members of the community gathered to remember her. A small memorial was set up in front of the house on Cardamon Court where her body was found, flowers and stuffed animals laid on the sidewalk to honor her memory. Members of the nonprofit Foster Kids Matter organized a neighborhood walk, starting at the house and walking down Farrow Road. One of the organization’s founders, Devon Woods, told WIS, “We’re going to make sure that we keep Ka’Niyah’s name alive, and to every child in the foster care system, we’re going to make sure we keep your name alive as well.”

As of this recording, the two suspects in Ka’Niyah’s death have been charged with murder and arson, but their case has not yet gone to trial, nor has it been determined whether or not they will be charged as adults.

Ka’Niyah’s story made an impact on the community, and her life, although short, was beautiful and valuable. She should still be alive, going to school, making friends, and living out her dreams. Sadly, there are many young people experiencing trauma who are at risk of violence and abuse. If you can, reach out to an organization in your area that supports teens and see how you can help.

And if you or someone you know is struggling with mental health or emotional distress, contact the 988 Lifeline to talk to someone who cares. Call or text 988 from any cell phone, or chat with a counselor online at 988lifeline.org. Help is available 24/7.