NCDHHS: 16-year-old beat Charlotte group home worker to death

CHARLOTTE — A 15-page report by the Department of Health and Human Services goes into detail about what happened the night of January 4 at the Miracle Houses group home on Swearngan Road in northwest Charlotte. CMPD says that night a 16-year-old group home resident killed 54-year-old Ganiyu Ibrahim.

The crime shocked people who lived nearby.

“It’s sad that the guy is up there working and taking care of the kids, just for the same kid to turn around and take his life,” neighbor Jacques Woods said. “That’s pretty sad.”

After the incident, NCDHHS investigated and says it all started when the 16-year-old was told he could only have 10 minutes on the phone with his mom instead of 15 because phone hours were ending. The report says when Ibrahim told him to finish up the conversation, the 16-year-old became upset, cursed out staff and walked out of the home.

When he returned 5 minutes later, NCDHHS says the 16-year-old tried to call his mother again before punching Ibrahim in the face several times. Records show the incident continued to spiral out of control. The report says after initially calming down, the 16-year-old continued to try to attack Ibrahim.

The report says as Ibrahim tried to walk to the office, he tripped over the couch and fell on the floor. The report says the 16-year-old then punched and him with a closed fist and stomped on his head repeatedly. When Ibrahim managed to get up and try to call 911, the report says the 16-year-old smashed his phone and continued to attack him with direct blows to the face.

When Ibrahim fell down again, the report says the 16-year-old dragged the potentially unconcious worker outside and down steps where he self pronounced him dead.

NCDHHS says one other person was working at the time but it was her first day and she was being trained by Ibrahim. The report says the other worked didn’t immediately call 911 because she said Ibrahim said he would. The worker called 911 after the second attack. By the time police arrived, the report says it was too late.

A spokesperson for the group home tells Channel 9 its attorney will respond to the report at a later date.

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