Schaffer & Associates Attorney, Laura Wilson, Selected for Lucas County Child Protection Task Force

Schaffer & Associates is proud to announce that attorney Laura Wilson has been selected to serve on the newly formed Lucas County Child Protection Task Force. In the wake of a local tragedy, our firm is honored to have one of our own chosen to contribute to an initiative focused on strengthening the support systems designed to protect vulnerable children in our community.

The Tragedy That Sparked Change

On March 25th, a crowd formed around a building in Toledo, Ohio, chanting the name Kei’Mani Latigue. The thirteen-year-old was first reported missing on March 18th. Within the next week, the search for the young girl escalated from family and community members to a state-wide search. Ultimately, the search came to a tragic end when Latigue’s body was found in an abandoned house in East Toledo on March 24th.

The Timeline

The incident began when Dorothy Latigue, Kei’Mani Latigue’s grandmother, returned home from work the morning of March 17th and discovered her house to be in chaos. With only the two of them living in the house, Dorothy Latigue found it unusual that her door was left unlocked and the stove on. Even more alarmingly, Dorothy found Kei’Mani’s glasses and keys, which she never left home without. After calling, Dorothy also discovered that her granddaughter was absent that day from school. Her cell phone went immediately to voicemail.

The last person to have seen Kei’Mani was soon identified as Kei’Mani’s father, 33-year-old Darnell Jones, also known as Darnell Ogletree. Jones stated he saw Kei’Mani on the evening of March 16th after she called him, claiming she was scared to be home alone. After a week of searching, the authorities filed both an abduction charge and an arrest warrant against Jones. The charging documents highlighted that Jones was not only the last person to see Kei’Mani before she went missing, but that Jones’ statements about his last interaction with her were inconsistent. Authorities ultimately charged Jones with murder and felonious assault in addition to the former charges once Kei’Mani’s body was found.

The Public’s Reaction to the Case

As more details of the case have been brought to light, the public has continued to grow more frustrated with the events that eventually led up to Kei’Mani’s murder. During the investigation, it was revealed that multiple reports regarding potential abuse were made, and calls were placed to Lucas County Children’s Services regarding Kei’Mani’s welfare. Kei’Mani’s former teacher, Kayleene Hairabedian, reports Kei’Mani relaying concerning things happening at home, prompting the teacher to call Child Protective Services. This has led the public to believe that Kei’Mani’s death was entirely preventable had the reports of her abuse been pursued further.

Resulting Task Force

Since these recent reports were revealed, the public has been in an uproar. In response, the Board of Lucas County Commissioners has formed a Lucas County Child Protection Task Force, whose goal is to reevaluate the supports, partnerships, and services needed to protect the children of Lucas County.

In total, twenty-seven individuals were selected from five separate areas of expertise in hopes of improving the county’s current operations. Each of these individuals will belong to one of the following groups: mandatory reporter, system professional, community leader, public safety, or lived experience.

The members, including Schaffer & Associates’ own Laura Wilson, are set to begin working alongside Casey Family Programs to review the current workings of the child protection system. We are honored that Laura will represent our firm and help drive meaningful change in the local community during this critical time.