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PHILADELPHIA — The search for 23-year-old Kada Scott, who vanished during her night shift at a Philadelphia senior living facility two weeks ago, has taken a grim turn with the discovery of human remains behind an abandoned school.
As the investigation continues, a memorial honoring her life is taking shape at the site.
The remains, believed to belong to a woman, were uncovered in a shallow grave amidst dense woodland, according to police.
Authorities have confirmed through DNA analysis that the remains are indeed Scott’s, matching the DNA of her parents, sources revealed on Sunday.
Philadelphia District Attorney Larry Krasner plans to provide further updates on this case at 11 a.m. ET on Monday.
The discovery of human remains comes as the last person to contact the 23-year-old remains in jail.
Last week, 21-year-old Keon King, of Philadelphia, was charged for kidnapping in this case, as well as in a separate case from earlier this year that had been initially dropped when the witness did not appear in court.
King is being held on $2.5 million bail for Scott’s case.
In the two weeks prior to Saturday’s discovery, law enforcement had searched the grounds near the school and nearby Awbury Arboretum, bringing in additional K-9 units from New Jersey and at one point shutting down Philadelphia’s police academy to have 300 recruits comb the area.
Physical evidence, including Scott’s phone case and debit card was discovered but not Scott.
Then, a tip that came in overnight Friday had units back out to the area Saturday morning.
“The tip was very specific that led us back to this location here,” said First Deputy Commissioner John Stanford, with the Philadelphia Police Department. “We want the people– the person we have in custody and anyone else who may be involved — we want them held accountable to the highest degree of the law for what they have done.”
The remains were removed from the scene by late Saturday afternoon. The remains are now being handled by the medical examiner’s office.
Police are still working to determine how King and Scott knew each other, but they believe the pair came into contact in the days before the disappearance on October 4.
Before her disappearance, Scott had told people that she was being harassed, but it is unclear if King was the person allegedly harassing her.
Stanford urged the public to continue providing information related to this case by calling 215-686-TIPS (8477).
Charges being refiled in earlier, similar case
King is also facing charges in what officials call a similar case from earlier this year in which a woman was allegedly kidnapped and strangled, but survived.
Those charges were dropped when the accuser failed to appear in court, but will now be refiled, the Philadelphia District Attorney’s Office said.
In the first case, the prosecutor said King kidnapped a woman from in front of her house, “threw her in her car, assaulted her and eventually let her out.”
D.A. Larry Krasner addressed the case during a news conference on Friday, saying his office could have done more.
“We could have done better in that. A really sophisticated approach to the case would have been to try to put it all in with video evidence,” he said.
The incident was captured partly in a viral video. Investigators say it shows King peering through and knocking on windows while a person inside yells to call the police and for him to go away.
Krasner noted King being out on bail as a reason why the victim didn’t appear in court.
“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.
King was able to post 10% of $200,000 bail in his first kidnapping arrest.
When asked why the DA’s office didn’t petition for a higher bail, Krasner said it was a strategic decision not to bother judges overnight.
“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. “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.”
Marty O’Rourke, a spokesperson for the courts, said in response:
“With all due respect, the DA and his staff know there are assigned Municipal and Commons Pleas Court judges on call 24/7 and prepared at any hour to address emergency Court matters. In light of this truth, the DA’s comments are appallingly disrespectful and a sad attempt on his part to find a scapegoat for his own failings on this matter.”
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