A 14-year-old Ukrainian girl will spend up to three years in a maximum risk program, and then be in a conditional release program until she's up to 21 after pleading no contest to beating her 79-year-old grandmother to death in their Lauderdale Lakes home.
Her father spoke to the judge and everyone in the court about his 79-year-old mother and his 14-year-old daughter saying, "My mother passed away. It's no way to return. I'm losing my daughter.. It's hard to forgive, but I want to tell her that we still love her."
He believes his daughter had been acting out because she missed her mother in Ukraine. If she violates the terms of her plea deal, she could be sent to prison for more than nine-years. She also faces potential deportation. The teen had faced up to 15 years in prison, if convicted of manslaughter.
State Attorney Harold F. Pryor said: “Because of the heinous nature of the crime and after considering everything presented by the defense, I believe it is appropriate that this case was transferred to adult court and that juvenile sanctions were imposed. We considered all options and worked closely with the victim’s family and with the defense 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.”