Human remains found behind vacant school amid search for Kada Scott, Philadelphia police say
Human remains were found while searching for missing Philadelphia woman Kada Scott, police said Saturday.
The discovery was made behind a vacant schoolhouse near the Awbury Arboretum in Germantown that was the focus of an intense search Wednesday.
First Deputy Commissioner John Stanford said a “very specific” anonymous tip came in overnight and officers returned to the scene around 10 a.m.
The remains, which Stanford said belonged to a woman, were found in a shallow grave in a heavily forested area.
Chopper 6 arrived on the scene Saturday after human remains were found in Philadelphia while searching for missing woman Kada Scott.
Philadelphia police and the district attorney’s office held a news conference Saturday after human remains were found in the search for missing woman Kada Scott.
The remains were removed from the scene in the afternoon. The remains are currently being examined by the medical examiner’s office, which will also identify the person found.
Investigators have been in contact with Scott’s family, Stanford said.
“We are in communication with his family regarding this process and one of our people has regained his health,” he said.
Stanford urged the public to continue providing information regarding this case by calling 215-686-TIPS (8477).
kada scott
Police found physical evidence at the scene during Wednesday’s search, including Scott’s debit card and phone case, sources said.
Police said tips began pouring in after authorities announced the arrest of Keon King, a 21-year-old Southwest Philadelphia man who authorities said was the last person in contact with Scott.
King was arrested and charged with kidnapping and other crimes in connection with Scott’s disappearance.
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Police are still trying to determine how King and Scott knew each other, but believe the pair had been communicating in the days before they disappeared.
Before her disappearance, Scott told people she was being harassed, but it is unclear whether King was the person who allegedly harassed her.
Scott disappeared Saturday night, Oct. 4, after leaving his workplace at an assisted living facility in Chestnut Hill.
King is being held on $2.5 million bail.
Charges are being refilled before in a similar situation
King is also charged in what authorities call a similar case earlier this year in which a woman was allegedly kidnapped and strangled but survived.
The Philadelphia District Attorney’s Office said those charges were dropped after the accuser failed to appear in court, but will now be refiled.
In the first case, the prosecutor said King kidnapped a woman from outside her home, “threw her into his car, assaulted her, and eventually took her outside.”
Prosecutor Larry Krasner addressed the case at a news conference Friday, saying his office could have done more.
“We could have done better on this. A really sophisticated approach to the case would have been to try to piece everything together with video evidence,” he said.
Search for missing Philadelphia woman Kada Scott
The incident was partially captured in a viral video. Investigators say it shows King peeking in and knocking on the windows, while a person inside yelled for him to call the police and leave.
Krasner stated that the reason the victim did not appear in court was because King was out on bail.
“The reason they were worried that he would walk out the door they went to at the courthouse right after testifying against him was because he was released on bail,” Krasner said.
King was able to post 10% of the $200,000 bail on his first kidnapping arrest.
When asked why the prosecution did not petition for a higher bail, Krasner said it was a strategic decision not to disturb judges overnight.
“You usually have the option of appealing to a municipal court judge by phone at midnight or at three in the morning,” Krasner said. “The unfortunate reality of this is that some, but not all, judges don’t want you to call them in the middle of the night. If you do, they lower bail. They don’t raise it, they don’t drop it. They lower it. So it’s always a complex, strategic decision.”
Court spokesman Marty O’Rourke said in response:
“With all due respect, the Prosecutor and his staff know that Town and Commons Judges are on duty 24/7 and are available at any time to deal with urgent Court matters. In light of this fact, the Prosecutor’s comments are extremely disrespectful and a regrettable attempt to find a scapegoat for their own failures in this matter.”
