Cincinnati, Ohio — A 13-year-old girl, accused of killing another 13-year-old girl, appeared in court for the first time Wednesday. Officials say Janiah Pate fatally stabbed Nyaira Givens with a pocket knife on Monday.
Police responded to the scene on Topridge Place in the city’s Winton Hills neighborhood at 9:08 p.m.
Responding officers found Givens suffering from a stab wound to the right side of her neck. Fire personnel responded and rushed Givens to Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center where she later died.
“During a verbal dispute, (the teen) pulled out a pocket knife and cut the victim on the right side of her neck causing her death,” court documents state.
On Tuesday, detectives charged Pate with murder.
The suspected attacker and the victim both attended the same school.
“We are devastated by this tragedy,” Cincinnati Public Schools said in a statement. “Our mental health support teams are actively supporting our school community at this time. We also have additional crisis teams in place to support our students and staff, if needed.”
“A whole lot of people are hurting. Young lady who was a viable part of the community — energetic, friendly — is no longer here,” Pastor Peterson Mingo with GOD Squad with Cincinnati Police Department told WKRC.
“Young lady, 13 years old — you haven’t lived; you haven’t experienced a whole lot. And so now, she won’t experience these things. And then there’s another young lady who’s going to be handicapped in some form or another the test of her life by this same situation,” said Mingo.
Police didn’t say what led up to the stabbing or release further details.
The investigation by the Cincinnati Police Department’s Homicide Unit is ongoing. Anyone with information about this homicide is asked to call the Homicide Unit at (513) 352-3542.
