Local news has reported that human remains discovered in a shallow grave over the weekend have been identified through DNA testing as those of Kada Scott, a missing Philadelphia woman.
The suspect in Scott’s kidnapping and death is 21-year-old Keon King, who had been released from custody despite facing charges in two strikingly similar cases within the past year.
Philadelphia District Attorney Larry Krasner has acknowledged that allowing King to remain free was a mistake.
Scott, 23 years old, was last observed on Oct. 4 after arriving for an overnight shift at a senior living facility where she worked.
Her vehicle was subsequently located in the facility’s parking lot.
Investigators discovered several of Scott’s personal items in the vicinity of her abandoned car.
Among the belongings found were her glasses, cellphone case, iPad case and bank card.
King had previously been charged on two separate occasions during the past year with violent assaults against a former girlfriend.
The charges included kidnapping and choking the woman inside his vehicle.
In both prior cases, the victim did not appear in court to testify.
As a result, prosecutors made the decision to withdraw the charges against King.
After Scott vanished, investigators launched an urgent search to locate her.
During this time, the Philadelphia District Attorney’s Office publicly admitted that dropping the previous cases had been an error.
Video footage of the suspect recently circulated widely on social media platforms.
One of the earlier cases involving King’s alleged assault and abduction of the woman in January was largely documented on video, according to reporting by the Inquirer.
Prosecutors have stated that the January case could have proceeded to trial even without the victim’s testimony due to the existence of video evidence.
Assistant District Attorney Toczylowski addressed the matter on Thursday.
“Everyone involved at this point, including the [initial prosecutor], agrees that we wish this happened differently,” Assistant DA Toczylowski said on Thursday.
District Attorney Krasner pointed to bail policies as a contributing factor to the victim’s reluctance to testify.
“The reason they had to worry he was going to come out of the same door they went in the courthouse right after they testified against him is because he was on bail,” said Krasner.
After his first kidnapping arrest, King was able to secure his release by posting ten percent of a $200,000 bail amount.
When questioned about why prosecutors did not request a higher bail, Krasner characterized it as a strategic choice.
“You have the option of trying to do what is often a midnight or three o’clock in the morning telephonic appeal to a municipal court judge,” said Krasner.
He explained that some judges respond negatively to middle-of-the-night calls.
Krasner stated, “The unfortunate reality of this is that some, but not all of these judges, don’t want you calling them in the middle of the night. And if you do, they lower the bail.”
“They don’t raise it, they don’t leave it. They lower it. So it is always a complex, strategic decision.”
The bail amount set for King in the Kada Scott case stands in stark contrast to his previous releases.
He is currently being held on $2.5 million bail and remains in custody.
King has a preliminary hearing scheduled for next month.
He continues to be detained as the legal proceedings move forward in the case involving Scott’s death.
