Teen, 14, charged as an adult in killing of grandma in Lauderdale Lakes – NBC 6 South Florida

A 14-year-old girl accused of killing her grandmother in Lauderdale Lakes will be charged as an adult, the Broward District Attorney's Office said, after she allegedly said she beat the victim with a belt and helped her die .

Sofia Koval is charged with manslaughter in connection with the May 23 killing of 79-year-old Yevheniia Koval – instead of the second-degree murder charge she previously faced.

The alleged beating occurred at an apartment in the Pearl Condominiums on Northwest 41st Street. Authorities responded there after receiving a call about an unresponsive woman. They met Koval's son, who said he went to a friend's house from about 7 p.m. to 12:30 a.m. and left Koval with his 14-year-old daughter.

He said when he returned, he found Koval lifeless on the ground, with abrasions on his neck and bruises on his face, arms and legs, officials said.

A 14-year-old girl has been arrested for the murder of her 79-year-old grandmother in Lauderdale Lakes. NBC6's Niko Clemmons reports

According to an arrest report, the teen told her father that her grandmother had scratched her and that she “hit the victim multiple times with a belt” to defend herself. Then she started crying and said, “She's sorry for what she did.”

Koval was taken to Broward Health Medical Center, where she was pronounced dead.

The Broward Medical Examiner's Office classified Koval's death as a homicide, and the teenager was identified as a suspect and arrested.

In a redacted arrest report, the teen allegedly told someone in Ukrainian that “the victim was already dying and that she had helped him die.” That person said that the Ukrainian word the teen used did not translate well into English, but that's what she said.

According to the teen's father, Sofia Koval had recently moved from Ukraine and was exhibiting “behavioral problems that he believes were due to the war she witnessed in Ukraine and separation from her mother,” one said Arrest report. He had taken her phone on the day of the murder to punish her.

The arrest report goes on to say that after the killing, the teen “was very agitated and appeared aggressive at times. Plus, she was constantly moving. At this point, it appeared that Sofia Koval may have been suffering from a psychotic episode.” She then worked as Baker's actress.

On the way to the Fort Lauderdale Behavioral Health Center, Sofia Koval allegedly “spontaneously stated that she had killed her grandmother while her father was away from the residence” and “slammed her hand against the partition in the vehicle, causing a laceration.”

A redacted source in the report said the teen was never diagnosed with a mental illness but had shown signs of aggression and agitation. She hadn't eaten or slept either.

The redacted source also suggested the teen may have hit her with her grandmother's walker because he noticed part of the walker was broken.

Prosecutors formally filed involuntary manslaughter charges against the teenager on Tuesday and she was transferred from the juvenile detention center to the Broward County Jail, where she is being held in protective custody, prosecutors said.

A judge found probable cause for manslaughter and ordered her held without bail Wednesday morning.

Although the maximum penalty for manslaughter is 15 years in prison, the youth could be given a juvenile sentence if convicted.

“In the juvenile justice system, anyone found guilty and sentenced would have to be released after a maximum of three years and could only be kept under supervision in the community until the age of 21,” the prosecutor said. “Because she is not a U.S. citizen, she could face deportation.”

In May, the victim's son described his mother off-camera as loyal, humble and protective of her family.

“Due to the heinous nature of the crime and after considering all the information presented by the defense to date, I believe it is appropriate for this case to be tried in adult court. “We are considering all options and working closely with her attorneys in the Broward Public Defender's Office to find an appropriate solution that holds her accountable but also takes into account her age and the circumstances of this crime,” said District Attorney Harold F. Pryor Press release.

The Broward Sheriff's Office has been in contact with the Ukrainian Consulate on this matter.