A judge set $1 million bonds Aug. 7, for each of three people charged with murder in the death of 7-year-old William Evans, whose body was found bound and duct-taped inside a closet at an Oakley home on Aug. 6.

Kaitlin Evans, 39, the boy's biological mother; Nessa Keaney, 23; and Kirby Rankin, 33, were arraigned in Hamilton County court on charges of murder and child endangerment. All three had been co-parenting William at the home on the 2800 block of Madison Road, according to WLWT's courtroom reporting.

A detective involved in the investigation testified that the case was "one of the most disturbing examples of child abuse" he had seen in more than two decades on the job. He described visible injuries across the boy's body that indicated physical beatings, impact injuries to the back of his head, evidence of severe burns and what he called water torture, including being choked underwater and held underwater for extended periods.

Prosecutors told the court William had suffered ongoing abuse for more than two months before his death.

The abuse was hidden. Prosecutors said neighbors did not know a child lived in the house.

As we reported Aug. 7, officers responded to the Madison Road home just after 1 p.m. on Aug. 6. Hamilton County Coroner Dr. Lakshmi Kode Sammarco ruled the death a homicide.

Bond conditions

The judge set Kaitlin Evans' bond at $1 million secured on the murder charge and $100,000 secured on child endangerment, with electronic monitoring. Prosecutors had requested the amount; her defense attorney asked for $250,000.

Evans' attorney acknowledged she failed to act to save her son but argued she did not directly cause his death, saying another defendant caused the boy's death without specifying who.

William's other biological parent, who was not identified in court, was allowed to address Kaitlin Evans directly, telling her they had trusted her.

Keaney's bond was set at $1 million at 10% on the murder charge and $100,000 secured on child endangerment, both with electronic monitoring. Her attorney argued she was the least culpable of the three and had tried to treat the boy's injuries, requesting a $200,000 bond. Prosecutors countered that Keaney never sought medical help or contacted law enforcement despite knowing about the abuse.

Rankin's bond was set at $1 million secured on the murder charge and $100,000 secured on child endangerment, with electronic monitoring. Her defense attorney requested a competency evaluation, citing documented serious mental health issues. The judge agreed to order the evaluation before a grand jury indictment, an unusual step. Rankin is due back in court Sept. 4.

The detective also testified that Rankin disclosed her own involvement in the abuse and implicated Evans and Keaney as active participants.