LAUDERDALE LAKES, FL – A 14-year-old girl from Lauderdale Lakes in Florida is facing an adult manslaughter charge following the beating death of her 79-year-old grandmother in May, authorities announced. Previously, she confronted a second-degree murder charge as a juvenile. With the charge now elevated to adult court, she was moved from the Juvenile Assessment Center to the Broward County Jail.
The Broward State Attorney’s Office revealed that the teen is alleged to have struck the elderly woman, Yevheniia Koval, multiple times with a belt, inflicting upon her 15 facial and neck abrasions and several bruises, along with lacerations on the back of the head. The teenager might have also used her grandmother’s walker as a weapon.
After the incident, she expressed remorse, saying she was sorry for her actions, according to an arrest report. She is now held without bond and faces a potential 15 year prison term if convicted. However, being a minor, she could be sentenced to juvenile sanctions. Due to her non-US citizenship status, she could also be subjected to deportation. She had migrated to the U.S. from Ukraine almost a year ago.
The teen’s arrest follows the fatal incident that unfolded in May when first responders arrived at Pearl Condominiums after receiving a distress call. They found Koval unresponsive with numerous bodily bruises. Her death was later declared a murder post-autopsy.
State Attorney Harold F. Pryor stated, acknowledging the grievous nature of the crime, “We are considering all options and working closely with her attorneys at the Broward Public Defender’s Office to come up with an appropriate resolution that holds her accountable but also factors in her age and the circumstances of this offense.”