Ohio mother seeks justice after she says 5-year-old daughter assaulted, GoFundMe launched

Graphic content warning — A Cleveland, Ohio mother is calling for justice and systemic accountability after she says her 5-year-old daughter was brutally beaten and sexually assaulted by several boys in a neighborhood field last month. The incident, which allegedly occurred on September 13, has sparked widespread outrage and a growing wave of public support.

Cleveland, Ohio 5-year-old allegedly assaulted

According to Antavia Kennibrew, her daughter was staying with a trusted family member near East 145th Street and St. Clair Avenue while Kennibrew underwent a medical procedure. In a detailed Facebook post, she described receiving a panicked call that her daughter had walked out of the house and could not be found.

“I immediately was filled in panic,” Kennibrew wrote. “I rushed out of my house and arrived to the scene. Soon as I got there I ran to the EMS truck where I found my daughter unresponsive, bloody with her hair pulled from her scalp, her body covered in bruises, her fingernails filled in dirt, her eyes filled with blood, her neck showing signs of strangulation, her mouth and lips bloody, her private area filled with debris and dirt and a big lump on her head. I couldn’t believe what I saw in front of me. My daughter did not look like herself. She was traumatized.”

Alleged suspects

Kennibrew alleges that a group of boys, ages 8, 9, and 10, approached her daughter, pretended to be friendly, and led her into a field far from the residence. There, she says, the boys beat her unconscious, urinated on her, sexually assaulted her, and attempted to strangle her with her own shirt.

“What I saw was unbelievable,” Kennibrew told WOIO in a televised interview. “My daughter was not my daughter. Her hair was scalped from her head. She had bruises and blood all over her body. Her eyes were filled with blood, lips and mouth were filled with blood. Her nails had debris and dirt in it.”

Investigation into alleged assault of 5-year-old

The Cleveland Division of Police confirmed on Facebook that its Sex Crimes and Child Abuse Unit is investigating “a matter involving multiple children under the age of 10, both as victims and as suspects.” Due to the sensitive nature of the case and the ages of those involved, no further details have been released.

Kennibrew said she initially avoided media attention to protect her daughter’s privacy. She has since shared her story publicly, citing the emotional toll and her ongoing search for justice. “My daughter is having behavioral problems,” Kennibrew told Cleveland 13. “She is mentally not OK. I am mentally not OK. Me not getting justice for my daughter makes me feel like I failed her.”

GoFundMe launched for support

A GoFundMe campaign launched to support the child’s care and legal efforts has raised over $90,000. Kennibrew said her daughter is receiving therapy through Journey/Frontline, while she continues to seek counseling herself.

In a follow-up post, Kennibrew thanked the public for their support. “My ultimate goal is justice, and I pray that this will ensure that those responsible are held accountable,” she wrote. “It is unacceptable that my daughter’s life has been forever changed, and it would be unjust if those responsible were to go unpunished.”

To learn more or donate, visit the GoFundMe page here.