Kiana Barker was born on January 29, 1980, in Florence, a neighborhood within Los Angeles County, California. 

Kiana Barker was convicted of killing her 2-year-old foster child, Viola Vanclief, in March 2010. After days of heavy drinking, Barker attacked the child. On March 4, 2010, she called 911 to report that Viola had stopped breathing. When emergency responders arrived, they found Viola unresponsive and had multiple bruises on her body. She was declared dead at the hospital.

During the investigation, Barker claimed that Viola got trapped in a bed frame. She stated that while trying to free the child, she accidentally struck her with a hammer. However, prosecutors argued that Viola suffered extensive blunt-force trauma, which was inconsistent with Barker's explanation.

A jury in October 2013 found Barker guilty of second-degree murder, assault on a child causing death, and child abuse. On February 21, 2014, she was sentenced to 25 years to life in state prison. Her then-boyfriend, James Dewitt Julian, also faced charges related to the incident. He was found guilty as an accessory after the fact and sentenced to three years in county jail.

Barker’s history included five previous child-abuse complaints, and questions arose about how she was allowed to be a foster parent when both she and Julian had disqualifying records. After Viola's death, investigations led to the termination of the contract between Los Angeles County and the foster agency that placed Viola with Barker.