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Boy, 9, pleads guilty in assault of Cleveland 5-year-old; trial continues for 11-year-old girl
19 news ^ | Sep. 28, 2026 | Keith Grant, Noelle Williams and Ashley Pomplas

Posted on 09/29/2026 2:12:13 PM PDT by Morgana

CLEVELAND, Ohio (WOIO) - Two children who are accused of beating a 5-year-old girl began their trial Monday morning, more than a year after the girl’s mother found her injured in a field.

“I literally saw the worst thing ever,” Antavia Kennibrew, the girl’s mother, said in an interview with 19 News in 2025.

The trial for the girl, now 11, started Monday in the Cuyahoga County Juvenile Court.

Prosecution painting a disturbing picture of the attack.

“The girl’s clothes were taken off. She was strangled with her own shirt, the 5-year-old.” said the prosecution

The 9-year-old boy took a plea deal in the case, pleading guilty to attempted rape and felonious assault.

His disposition date is set for November 20.

The 11-year-old girl has not yet taken a plea, but will still appear in court later this morning.

Case background

The girl was assaulted on Sept. 13, 2025, in a field near East 148th Street and St. Clair Avenue in Cleveland.

The Cleveland Division of Police Sex Crimes and Child Abuse Unit investigated the case, which involved multiple children under the age of 10 as both victims and suspects.

In October 2025, prosecutors charged the 11-year-old girl and 9-year-old boy with attempted murder, rape, felonious assault, kidnapping and strangulation.

On April 1, Cuyahoga County Juvenile Court Judge Kristin Sweeney ordered the two children to undergo competency restoration before they could stand trial.

According to court records, a change in the 11-year-old’s placement was necessary to get a true assessment of her competency.

When a placement was not found, prosecutors requested she be held in the detention center during the restoration process.

The court said returning to her home was not in her best interest, and the Court Diagnostics Clinic provided competency restoration services at the detention center.

Both children were previously held on home detention.

After a period of court-ordered rehabilitation, the children were later found competent to stand trial.


TOPICS: Local News
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1 posted on 09/29/2026 2:12:13 PM PDT by Morgana
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To: Morgana

https://freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/4397278/posts


2 posted on 09/29/2026 2:14:54 PM PDT by yesthatjallen
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To: Morgana

Horrific. It sounds like the elder assailant had a really dangerous and bad home life. This behavior was probably learned from the adults around her and she influenced the younger boy.

Not an excuse by any means, but an explanation as to why she’s turned out this way.


3 posted on 09/29/2026 2:16:27 PM PDT by Tacrolimus1mg (Do no harm, but take no sh!t.)
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To: Morgana

They start them down the wrong path very young, Yogi.


4 posted on 09/29/2026 2:22:05 PM PDT by Bullish (My tagline ran off with another man, but it's okay... I wasn't married to it.)
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To: Morgana

No mention of parents here. I know that is something loosely applied in this instance. But how did these kids get these ideads?


5 posted on 09/29/2026 2:28:19 PM PDT by Bayard
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To: Bayard

No parents just phones to raise them


6 posted on 09/29/2026 2:32:11 PM PDT by Morgana ( The more I get to know people, the more I realize why Noah only let animals on the boat.)
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To: Morgana

Yogi?


7 posted on 09/29/2026 2:34:12 PM PDT by frakster
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To: Morgana

The 9-year-old boy took a plea deal in the case, pleading guilty to attempted rape and felonious assault.


I have no idea about how juvenile law works in Ohio, but in many states a 9-year-old won’t be locked up even if he commits murder. Juvenile law can be strange beyond recognition.


8 posted on 09/29/2026 2:38:42 PM PDT by hanamizu
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To: hanamizu

9 years old can definitely know right from wrong. However, I think there’s a good argument that they are easily brainwashed by people, media, peers ect.


9 posted on 09/29/2026 2:42:26 PM PDT by Bayard
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To: Morgana

JAMBOG!

Boy, 9, pleads guilty in assault of Cleveland 5-year-old. Trial continues for 11-year-old girl
Cleveland 19 ^ | 09 28 2026 | Keith Grant, Noelle Williams and Ashley Pomplas

Posted on 9/29/2026, 8:58:41 AM by yesthatjallen

https://freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/4397278/posts

Search still works.


10 posted on 09/29/2026 4:19:41 PM PDT by Paal Gulli
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To: Bayard

Rap, YouTube, Movies, TV shows.

It’s not the America we grew up in.


11 posted on 09/29/2026 5:12:27 PM PDT by Bikkuri
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To: Bikkuri

Rap, YouTube, Movies, TV shows. It’s not the America we grew up in.


No, it’s not. But in the ‘70s I worked as a teacher in a juvenile prison (a youth center). Two of my students, both white, were murderers. One killed his friend’s mom with an axe and the other, along with his twin killed their stepfather and tried, but failed to kill their stepmother.

They were born in the late 60s when ‘rap’ meant talking to someone, the founder of YouTube hadn’t been born yet and movies and TV didn’t glorify violence.

I believe there have always been monsters in child form among us. But before the internet, stories like my two examples were truly local in nature and the little monsters’ names were always kept quiet.

But yes, what passes for today’s ‘entertainment’ certainly isn’t helping.


12 posted on 09/29/2026 5:36:15 PM PDT by hanamizu
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To: Morgana

Another sign of early feral.


13 posted on 09/30/2026 6:01:16 AM PDT by Vaduz (NEVER TRUST A DEMOCRAT)
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To: Morgana

Minnesota just enacted a law that removes all criminal liability for kids under 13. 12 year olds brandishing guns and hijacking cars, which is sadly common in Minnesota, will now face no consequences.


14 posted on 09/30/2026 11:28:04 AM PDT by The Great RJ
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