PHILADELPHIA – Philadelphia officials are intensifying their efforts to solve the kidnapping case of Kada Scott, with suspect Keon King currently held on $2.5 million bail.
Efforts to locate Kada Scott
What we know:
Philadelphia District Attorney Larry Krasner emphasized the community’s unprecedented involvement in providing tips and information.
Authorities, including the FBI and local police, are working around the clock to ensure Scott’s safe return and to bring justice in this case.
The case has drawn significant attention, partly due to the community’s deep concern for Scott’s safety.
October is Domestic Violence Awareness Month, and this case highlights the ongoing issues surrounding domestic violence and the justice system’s handling of such cases.
“We are asking other victims of this defendant to come forward,” said Krasner.
He assured that resources are available to ensure the safety of those who provide information.
Keon King’s previous case
King has a protection from abuse order (PFA) against him from a third woman, which is active until 2027.
Law enforcement sources have indicated that King was also a suspect in a prior rape case involving another woman.
Philadelphia police sources say a video shared on social media was part of the evidence in a previous kidnapping case that was initially dismissed but refiled after King’s latest arrest.
Krasner criticized the cash bail system, pointing out that it allowed King to be released on bail in a previous case, claiming it may have contributed to those cases being withdrawn and the victim and a key witness not appearing in court.
“In the prior matter, we requested $1 million bail and we did not get it. We don’t set bail. Judges do. The bail was set at $200,000. Why? Well, probably because the commissioner who set the bail probably, I imagine, thought that was enough to hold Keon King in custody. It wasn’t. Keon King had access to a lot of money, and so he paid $20,000 bail almost immediately and was out of custody as a consequence of that. This is the problem with cash bail,” said Krasner. “That victim is more likely to walk in the door of the courthouse and testify if that victim knows that the defendant can’t walk out right behind if he’s locked up. Well, he wasn’t locked up here. And so, sadly, what happened was there were two court dates, at the first of which the judge announced that it must be tried next time. And the victim did not arrive on both of those occasions. An eyewitness did not arrive on both of those occasions. I don’t say that to say that’s the whole story, but it’s not.”
Philadelphia Assistant District Attorney Ashley Toczylowski also explained that King was out on bail for an active case when he was accused of committing another crime.
Krasner admitted they probably should have used additional evidence in King’s prior case to aid in King’s previous case.
“A really sophisticated approach to the case would have been to try to put it all on with video evidence. That is not usually an easy thing to do. I would say with 20/20 hindsight, it’s something that could have been done, and I own that. I mean, ultimately the bus stops here. It’s not my job to throw other people under the bus. If there’s a decision, that is poor. And I believe that that was an incorrect decision. Then we have to own it, and we have to try to do better moving forward in order to change that. But what I am saying about the bail is that it could have made all the difference in the world.”
What you can do:
Krasner urged women dealing with domestic violence incidents to come forward.
“The sad truth is that the story of Kada is not just about Kada. It’s about a lot of other women. It’s about a lot of other women who don’t report what has happened to them out of fear,” said Krasner. “Please report. Please come to court. Please let us try to do our very best with your case to protect you. Please. You are not just protecting yourself from things that can get a whole lot worse than you imagine, but you are protecting every other woman in Philadelphia and you’re doing it. It’s at a time when, sadly, the national climate is not fair to women. So I am saying to every woman out there, every girl out there, every other person who may have been a victim of domestic violence of any sort, please let the Philadelphia Police Department, the FBI, the Philadelphia DA’s office, please let all of us and the mayor please let all of us support you by coming forward. We will do justice. We will make sure that the accountability fits the act, and we will make sure, as best we possibly can, that there is the right outcome.”
The backstory:
On October 4, Kada Scott went missing while working an overnight shift at The Terrace at Chestnut Hill senior living facility.
When Kada did not return home that morning, Kevin Scott said her mother called the senior living facility and got “conflicting reports” about Kada’s whereabouts.
Nearly two weeks after the search for Kada started, authorities charged 21-year-old Keon King with kidnapping Kada Scott.
They believe King was the last person to have seen Scott at some point on the evening of Oct. 4.
What’s next:
Authorities continue to seek information from the public to piece together the events leading to her disappearance.
The Source: The information from this story is from the Philadelphia District Attorney’s Office press conference.
NewsLarry KrasnerCrime & Public SafetyPhiladelphia
