On December 11, 2022, four-year-old Kennan "KJ" Justice Ford was found dead in his mother's Seattle apartment after suffering massive blunt force trauma to his head, ruled a homicide. His mother, Cynthia Enyeart (23), and her boyfriend, Junior Asghedom (20), were the only adults present and initially claimed the child had slipped while getting out of the bathtub, but his injuries were inconsistent with that account. The couple repeatedly changed their stories and ultimately accused each other of fatally assaulting the boy. Charging documents revealed that the child had stopped eating, his eyes were blackened and swollen shut prior to his death, and the couple waited hours before calling 911, by which time the child was already dead. An autopsy found bruising all over his body in addition to the fatal head injuries. Both Enyeart and Asghedom were charged with second-degree murder. DCYF had received multiple prior CPS reports — including from the child's biological father, Chris Ford, who reported physical abuse by the mother — but prior investigations had assessed K.F. as safe in his mother's care, and a final intake in February 2022 was screened out without investigation.
Contexts/Conditions
Is there any mention of child drug ingestion or overdose?
Is there any mention of a drowning incident (either intentional or accidental)?
Is there any mention of a firearm incident?
Is there any mention of inappropriate supervision (e.g., child wandered off and drowned)?
Is there any mention of inflicted injury? (e.g. slapped, punched, kicked, choked)
Multiple sources describe inflicted injuries. The fatality report states the father reported seeing "the mother hit K.F. on the chest on November 12" and that he "observed the mother throw K.F. down on the bed and attempt to choke" the child. The King5 article describes Asghedom telling police that "Enyeart became upset with the child and struck the child's head against the front of sink twice, 'knocking him out cold.'" It also reports Enyeart's claim that Asghedom "shook the child" and "threw the child, causing the head injury." The People.com article notes the acquaintance "saw Enyeart strike her son on several occasions." The ME report confirms cause of death as "Multiple blunt force injuries" ruled homicide.
Is there any mention of malnutrition, starvation, or dehydration?
Is there any mention of medical neglect?
The People.com article states: "authorities allege in charging documents the couple waited hours before seeking medical help for the child." It further quotes charging documents: "However, rather than taking this obviously injured child to the hospital or calling 911 while he was still conscious, they kept KF inside the apartment, leaving him to languish and ultimately die." The King5 article describes the child's condition prior to death: the boy "had stopped eating and his eyes were blackened and swollen shut" yet no medical care was sought. An acquaintance texted Enyeart asking if the boy could attend a gathering, and Enyeart replied, "Idk bc his eyes isn't open still." This clearly constitutes medical neglect.
Is there any mention of a motor vehicle crash or incident?
Is there any mention of a murder-suicide incident?
Is there any mention of outdoor elements (including hot car deaths)?
Is there any mention of prenatal substance exposure (including fetal alcohol syndrome or neonatal abstinence syndrome)?
Is there any mention of sexual abuse?
Is there any specific mention of shaken baby or abusive head trauma?
The King5 article describes Enyeart's claim that Asghedom "held the child 'over his head to help him with his fear of heights'" and "he shook the child. The child pulled Asghedom's hair, angering him, and he threw the child, causing the head injury." Asghedom's account states Enyeart "struck the child's head against the front of sink twice, 'knocking him out cold.'" The autopsy indicated "massive blunt force trauma to his head." The shaking of the child and the blunt force trauma to the head constitute abusive head trauma.
Is there any mention of prolonged abuse or torture (including restraints, captivity)?
Multiple sources indicate a pattern of deliberately cruel treatment beyond typical physical abuse. The King5 article states: "An acquaintance of Enyeart told police she had observed significant bruising to the child's face and head on several occasions" and "she saw Enyeart strike her son on several occasions." The fatality report documents the father's report that the mother "throw K.F. down on the bed and attempt to choke" the child. The People.com article describes the child's condition before death: "the boy 'had stopped eating and his eyes were blackened and swollen shut'" and that "rather than taking this obviously injured child to the hospital or calling 911 while he was still conscious, they kept KF inside the apartment, leaving him to languish and ultimately die." The autopsy found bruising "all over the child's body." This pattern of repeated abuse over time, combined with leaving the severely injured child to suffer without medical care, constitutes prolonged, deliberately cruel treatment.
Is there any mention of an unsafe sleeping environment?
Individuals Involved
Was an adoptive parent or guardian involved in the death?
Was a biological father involved in the death?
Was a biological mother involved in the death?
K.F.'s biological mother, Cynthia Enyeart, was arrested and charged with second-degree murder. The fatality report states: "K.F.'s mother and her boyfriend were arrested. They have both been charged with murder in the second degree." The King5 article describes Asghedom's account that "Enyeart became upset with the child and struck the child's head against the front of sink twice, 'knocking him out cold.'"
Was a day care worker, babysitter, or nanny involved in the death?
Was a female paramour or friend involved in the death (e.g., girlfriend, stepmother)?
Was a foster parent involved in the death?
Was a male paramour or friend involved in the death (e.g., boyfriend, stepfather)?
Junior Asghedom, the mother's boyfriend, was charged with second-degree murder. The People.com article states: "The boy's mom and boyfriend are now charged with second-degree murder in the child's Dec. 11 death." The King5 article identifies him as "20-year-old Junior Prince Desta Asghedom" and describes his account in which he alleged Enyeart committed the fatal assault, while Enyeart alleged he shook and threw the child.
Was another adult relative involved in the death? (e.g., grandfather, aunt)
Was a sibling involved in the death?
Child Characteristics
Was the child adopted?
Was the child homeschooled (including "cyberschooling") or taken out of school?
Was the child in foster care at the time of the incident?
Was the child living with relatives at the time of the incident (but not parents)?
Is there any mention of a neurological developmental child disability? (e.g., autism, intellectual disability, nonverbal)
Is there any mention of a physical child disability? (e.g., feeding tube)
Is there any mention of prematurity or low birthweight?
Is there a history of child protection reports prior to death (for this child or siblings)?
The fatality report documents extensive prior CPS involvement: a September 2020 CPS investigation regarding K.F.'s facial injuries, a November 2021 CPS investigation regarding allegations of the mother hitting K.F., and a February 2022 intake that was screened out. The People.com article states: "detectives say, they learned that Child Protective Services had been previously contacted four times about KF's mother allegedly abusing the boy." The Fox13 article quotes the father: "I called CPS twice. Yeah, they did not care what I had to say." The uncle stated: "I called CPS multiple times."
Does the child have a history of foster care (but not in care at time of incident)?
Is there a history of a sibling death (separate incident from this death)?
Parent/Caregiver Factors
Was an adult charged or arrested for the child's death?
The fatality report states: "K.F.'s mother and her boyfriend were arrested. They have both been charged with murder in the second degree." The King5 article confirms: "Cynthia Rose Enyeart, 23, and 20-year-old Junior Prince Desta Asghedom were charged with second-degree murder." They were "being held on $500,000 bail."
Is domestic violence by the parent/caregiver referenced?
The fatality report extensively documents domestic violence between the parents. The father told the caseworker that he "observed the mother throw K.F. down on the bed and attempt to choke" the child. The mother reported "K.F.'s father had used physical force against her in the past and was controlling in their relationship." The father "reported the mother has used physical force against him and detailed multiple incidents." A collateral contact reported the mother's boyfriend "hit K.F. and the mother." The father also reported a DV incident in the February 2022 intake, including that "the mother threatened to kill him." The Fox13 article quotes the father saying he called CPS "to save his son, KJ, from domestic violence from the hands of his own mother."
Is there any mention that the death occurred in a temporary shelter or while homeless?
Is an intellectual disability of the parent/caregiver referenced?
Is the mental health of the parent/caregiver referenced?
Is a history of arrests or criminal charges for the parent/caregiver referenced?
The fatality report mentions that during the November 2021 CPS investigation, a contact "reported concerns that the mother's boyfriend, who has a felony, hit K.F. and the mother." This references prior criminal history (a felony) for the mother's boyfriend, who was a caregiver figure in the household, predating the fatal incident.
Is substance use by the parent/caregiver referenced?
Notable Details
Several substantive systemic and case-specific details emerge from the documents. The fatality report describes that the February 2022 CPS intake — the final contact before K.F.'s death — was screened out without investigation after the area administrator consulted with supervisors, with the Committee noting that "bias related to workload challenges may have impacted the decision-making." The Committee also identified gender bias in assessing domestic violence, stating: "it is less common for a female to abuse a male and wondered how this may have impacted the field staff's thinking about the DV history between the parents." The Committee further noted that the SDMRA was only completed for the mother's household, not the father's. Additionally, the King5 article reveals that after K.F.'s death and before her police interview, the mother posted Facebook messages including "And I ain't no snitch" and "imma jus cay [sic] he fell at my house," demonstrating consciousness of guilt and intent to obstruct. The fatality report also noted that following this case, the region redesigned its protocol for screening out intakes to include "increased shared decision-making."
These fields were populated by an AI model and may contain inaccuracies. Review the links and PDFs provided for verification before citing. Contact [email protected] to report any inaccuracies where corrections are needed.