A 14-year-old Ukrainian girl has been charged as an adult for the death of her fragile 80-year-old grandmother, who was allegedly battered with a belt and walker in a Florida condo. Prosecutors have charged Sofia Koval with manslaughter in the death of Yevheniia Koval.
On Wednesday, a judge found probable cause and ordered that the girl be remanded in prison at the Broward County Jail without bond, according to a news statement from the Broward State Attorney’s Office.
“Because of the heinous nature of the crime and after considering everything presented by the defense so far, I believe it is appropriate that this case should be handled in adult court,” Broward State Attorney Harold F. Pryor stated in a press release.
“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.”
According to an affidavit summarizing the charges, the case was discovered when Broward County Sheriff’s detectives responded to a death investigation at a Lauderdale Lakes apartment around 12:30 a.m. on May 23. According to court filings, the victim’s son reported to deputies that he discovered his mother unresponsive on the floor of the living room.
The woman was transferred to a hospital and died. An autopsy revealed that she had approximately 15 abrasions on her neck and face, bruises on her hands, arms, and leg, and hemorrhage on the right side of her neck and arms. According to the affidavit, she also sustained scalp contusions, hemorrhaging, and brain bleeding.
The son informed detectives that he lived with his mother and daughter, who had recently moved to the United States from Ukraine. According to the affidavit, he claimed his daughter’s behavioral troubles stemmed from the violence she experienced in Ukraine and her separation from her mother.
He claimed he took her smartphone away earlier to chastise her before leaving the house at 7 p.m., leaving his daughter and the victim alone in the flat. According to the paper, he arrived home at 12:30 a.m. and saw his mother unresponsive, prompting him to phone authorities.
When he questioned his daughter about what had happened, she allegedly informed him that her grandma had scratched her, according to the affidavit.
“As a result, she had to defend herself,” the paper read. “Sofia Koval admitted to her father that she struck the victim many times with a belt. Sofia Koval started crying and apologized for what she had done.”
The victim required aid from a walker. According to the complaint, authorities discovered a broken wheel on the walker and suspected the girl used it to assault her grandmother. Deputies also stated that they discovered a belt adjacent to the victim’s body.
Sofia Koval allegedly told a Ukrainian interpreter in detention that her grandma “was already dying and that she helped her die,” according to the affidavit. The letter stated that the kid was agitated, hostile at times, and appeared to be experiencing a psychotic episode. Authorities also said that she had not eaten or slept.
She was transported to a hospital for a behavioral health evaluation based on her remarks and the possibility that she had harmed others or herself.
Sofia Koval made spontaneous comments about killing her grandma while her father was not present, and she struck the divider in the vehicle with her hand, inflicting a cut, according to the document.
Prosecutors said the maximum penalty for the offense is up to 15 years in jail, and because of her age, she might face juvenile sanctions in the juvenile court system if convicted.
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