“Brutal, heinous, evil, gruesome, monstrous, and disturbing.”
Those are the opening words Columbia Police Chief Skip Holbrook uses to describe the murder of 13-year-old Kaniyah Baker, whose body was found in an abandoned South Carolina home on January 15th. Police arrested and charged two girls, ages 15 and 16, with murder.
Baker’s body was found 32 miles from where she had previously been reported missing from a foster care home, according to Holbrook’s comments at a Jan. 18 press conference. Baker suffered traumatic injuries and severe burns that made visual identification impossible, according to Coroner Holbrook and Richland County Coroner Nida Rutherford. Rutherford said the coroner’s office used clothing and dental records to extract DNA and confirm Baker’s identity.
The case raises questions about the rise in teen homicides and the social determinants of health that influence youth violence. Both teenage suspects had dropped out of high school and frequently ran away from home. The 16-year-old girl had a history of disorderly conduct and was wanted by the Department of Juvenile Justice for cutting off her ankle monitor. The two girls were also charged with arson, possession of a weapon during a crime of violence, and desecration of a corpse.
“The girls involved all had some connection to a system that was supposed to protect them, and I believe that this system failed all three of these young women,” Rutherford told USA. He told Today, adding that reduced allocation of mental health resources is a contributing factor. problem.
The number of 12- to 17-year-olds killed by homicide nearly doubled between 2019 and 2022, from 717 in 2018 to 1,409 in 2022, according to the U.S. Department of Justice.
Read more: Surgeon’s general recommendation: Parents need mental health support amid youth crisis
Youth violence is linked to children’s environments and social determinants of health
Hayden Smith, a professor of criminology and criminal justice at the University of South Carolina, said the incident shows the underlying trauma of all three girls involved. He said the rise in youth violence is linked to children’s environments and social determinants of health, such as access to stable housing and education.
“Even beyond such a traumatic event, for those who have experienced such adverse experiences in childhood, the experience remains unresolved unless balanced with resilience, specific skills, stability, and positive experiences. tends to last a lifetime,” Smith said.
Smith said experiencing adverse childhood experiences (ACES) before the age of 18 can lead to lifelong physical and psychological effects. The CDC’s 2023 Youth Risk Behavior Survey found that three out of four high school students report experiencing one or more ACEs.
According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, ACES includes experiencing violence, abuse, or neglect, witnessing violence in the home or community, and attempting or committing suicide by a family member. Environmental factors, such as growing up with drug use or mental health problems, or instability due to incarceration of household members or growing up in separate households, can also affect children’s brain development and decision-making. There is a gender.
Read more: How a ‘terrifying perfect storm’ led to a 65% increase in child homicides
Experts say investing money in welfare and foster care systems and focusing attention and trained professionals on vulnerable youth can help reduce youth violence. Smith said cognitive behavioral therapy has emerged as the best approach for ACES, but it needs to be combined with environmental changes and the steady, positive influence of mentors and peers.
Following the incident, local government and law enforcement officials cited the murder in connection with institutional support for youth mental health.
Columbia City Manager Teresa Wilson said she was deeply shaken by Baker’s death and called on community members and parents to support the city’s youth and young mothers.
“Through this act of foolishness and recent events in our city, we need to step into the lives of children and create safe and nurturing environments for them to grow and thrive,” Wilson wrote in an Instagram post. It reminded me of the importance of things.” “Our cities are strongest when we engage with each other, invest in our communities, and work together to reduce youth violence.”
Hale’s role covering youth mental health for USA TODAY is funded by a grant from Pivotal Ventures. Pivotal Ventures does not provide editorial opinion. Contact X at [email protected] and @rachelleighhale.