Update on Demolition at 1101 Miami St.

Today, city crews began work to disconnect the water service at 1101 Miami Street, in preparation for demolition of the structure where 13-year-old Kei’Mani Latigue was found last week. Additional steps—including electric and gas shutoffs—are still required before demolition can occur. While the house will not come down for at least two more weeks, residents may see increased activity at the site in the coming days.

We know that many in our community have placed memorial items at the site to honor Kei’Mani’s life. We deeply respect these tributes and the care the community has put into honoring her. On April 8, we will fence off the property to prepare for demolition. If you wish to preserve any of those items, we ask that you relocate them before April 8.

“We lost a child in the most unimaginable way,” said Mayor Wade Kapszukiewicz. “We cannot bring her back, but we can—and we will—make sure the place where this happened is removed from our community. Kei’Mani’s life mattered. And we are committed to doing everything in our power to ensure that something like this never happens again.”

This tragedy has sparked urgent calls for action—and we hear you. We are aware of a petition asking the City to demolish all vacant houses within one year. While we share the public’s sense of urgency to address blight in our neighborhoods, a one-year blanket timeline isn’t feasible due to legal, financial, and logistical realities. Demolition is one tool in our tool belt, and one we’ve pursued aggressively over the last several years, but we also have to hold property owners accountable through legal action when properties are left neglected. We want all of our neighborhoods to be safe, but we can’t do it all alone.

Finally, we know many residents are looking for meaningful ways to honor Kei’Mani’s memory. For those who would like to propose a formal tribute, we encourage you to submit a request through our Board of Honor. The application can be downloaded here.

We will continue to share updates about the demolition process as they become available. In the meantime, we extend our deepest sympathy to Kei’Mani’s family and to everyone in the community who has shown such care and love in her memory.