15-year-old who stabbed McKeesport teen appears in court

MCKEESPORT — A 15-year-old is facing homicide charges and a 19-year-old is dead. Now that case is in the hands of a judge.

There were tears shed in the courtroom Friday morning from both sides.

On Nov. 19, 2021 at approximately 3:20 p.m., Allegheny County Emergency Services 911 Division received a report from Sunijha Davis that her boyfriend, Kai Brown, had been stabbed by a white man, later identified as Damian Baverso.

McKeesport police were dispatched to the Midtown Plaza Apartments in the 500 block of Sinclair Street in McKeesport. When they got there, police found that Kai Brown had been stabbed under his arm and was unresponsive. McKeesport Ambulance Rescue Services arrived on the scene and transported Kai Brown to UPMC McKeesport Hospital. Kai Brown succumbed to his injuries and was pronounced dead at the hospital at 4:46 p.m.

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“We’ve been in contact we are a strong family, we will stand by him,” said Debbie Yankovitch, the suspect’s grandmother.

On Friday morning, she watched as he went before a judge on the charge of murder.

“My client’s involvement was this was his ex-girlfriend there was an argument and the alleged victim came to my client’s apartment and there is a video and was robbing him and beating him and knocking him around,” said Pat Thomassey, Baverso’s attorney.

That video is the key piece of evidence for Thomassey’s case. He said that encounter in November was between his client and 19-year-old Kia Brown. Brown was dating Baverso’s ex-girlfriend. Thomassey said the two got in a fight where Brown was stabbed and died.

Police said Baverso ran and was arrested then charged with homicide.

“He’s only 15 he’s not feeling very well but he’s a nice young man,” Thomassey said.

Just last week, Brown’s father spoke to Channel 11 about his loss and his message to Baverso as he heads to court.

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“I want him to really think about what he did and the person took away. I really want him to think about that because he took away a good person a good life and that’s hard,” said Anton Brown.

But in court, those charges were knocked down due to Baverso’s age.

The maximum time he is now facing is 20 years in jail.

“They agreed today that it’s not first or second-degree murder which would entitle this young man to bail, and we have waived it up to court and will try the case,” Thomassey said.

Thomassey said he’s hopeful to get a bail hearing before the formal arraignment next month.

“He had the biggest smile ever:” Family remembers stabbing victim killed in McKeesport