What happened to 7-year-old William Evans is almost impossible to read.
But his name — and what police say was done to him — cannot be buried.
William’s mother, Kaitlin Evans, and two other adults, Nessa Keaney and Kirby Rankin, are now charged with murder and child endangerment in Ohio.
This is William Evans, a 7-year-old boy who died Thursday after police said he suffered ongoing abuse at an Oakley home.
— WLWT (@WLWT) August 7, 2026
Three people have been charged with murder in connection to his death.
What we know: https://t.co/bLj6XzWYX9 pic.twitter.com/ZczDOYvzQb
Local 12 reports that investigators described prolonged abuse including beatings, burns, blunt-force injuries across William’s body and repeated periods in which he was allegedly held underwater.
Police say the boy was ultimately found duct-taped inside a closet after Evans called 911 and claimed he needed urgent medical care.
Cincinnati police detective Kyle Smith, a 21-year veteran, called it one of the most disturbing child-abuse cases he has encountered during more than two decades investigating crimes on the job.
The outlet reports that the alleged abuse left injuries across William’s face, torso, back and extremities, along with impact injuries to his head.







