PHILADELPHIA (KYW Newsradio) — The man arrested in connection with the disappearance of 23-year-old Kada Scott has a prior history of alleged kidnapping.
Keon King, 21, was charged earlier this year with kidnapping another woman, though the Philadelphia District Attorney previously withdrew the case within a month of his arrest.
Law enforcement sources said the alleged incident happened Jan. 13, when King attempted to break into his ex-girlfriend’s home along 23rd Street near Berks Street three times. The first attempt was around 2:30 a.m. when sources said he climbed over a fence and tried to open her window. He then kicked and pounded the door to get in, but left before the police arrived.
He returned 13 hours later, around 3:30 p.m., and he tried again to get into the home, looking in windows with a gun in his waistband.
About an hour later, as the ex-girlfriend and a friend left the house to run an errand, King allegedly grabbed her and forced her into his car, with his 2-year-old child reportedly in the back seat.
When the friend tried to intervene, he threatened to kill her, according to sources.
They said King assaulted the victim in the car, including biting her face and choking her. She escaped around Girard Avenue and 7th Street and flagged down the police to report the incident.
King was arrested in April on kidnapping and assault charges. Prosecutors requested bail just under $1 million, signaling they believed he was a danger to society. A judge lowered it to $200,000, which King paid 10% of, and he was released.
A preliminary hearing was scheduled for late May, but all charges were dropped. The district attorney’s office said the judge ordered the withdrawal of the case because the victim and witness didn’t show up to court.
On Friday, District Attorney Larry Kranser pointed the blame at city judges for not keeping King behind bars while awaiting his hearing.
"It could have made all the difference in the world if this man was locked up," Krasner said. "You have the option of trying to do what is often a midnight or 3 o'clock in the morning telephonic appeal to a municipal court judge. The unfortunate reality of this is that some, but not all, of these judges don’t want you calling in the middle of the night, and if you do, they lower the bail."
Former Municipal Court Judge Pat Dugan, who is running against Krasner in November for District Attorney, says that’s not true.
“You can do an appeal immediately after an arraignment court magistrate does it. If you don’t like what that municipal court does, you can go immediately to the court of common pleas. If you don’t like what the court of common pleas does, you can go to a superior court. So the district attorney has multiple opportunities to appeal a decision.”
Martin O'Rourke, spokesperson for the Philadelphia courts, said Friday that Krasner and his staff know there are assigned Municipal and Common 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,” he said.
The office did not refile charges until earlier this week, when King was arrested.
Authorities said King surrendered to police on Tuesday, Oct. 14. He was arraigned on Thursday on kidnapping charges related to the disappearance of Kada Scott.
As of Friday, police are still searching for Scott, who has been missing for two weeks.
Anyone with information can call the police tip line at 215-686-8477.