Broward teen sentenced to 3 years in juvenile detention for beating grandmother to death

A 14-year-old girl pleaded no contest to a charge of manslaughter in adult court on Wednesday in connection with the beating death of her 79-year-old grandmother in Lauderdale Lakes.

Sofia Koval was sentenced to a maximum risk commitment program under the Florida Department of Juvenile Justice, which is the highest level of juvenile commitment in the state, according to the Broward County State Attorney.

Koval was sentenced to serve up to three years in the program, followed by community supervision until she turns 21. Due to her status as a non-U.S. citizen, she is expected to face deportation to her native Ukraine upon completion of her sentence.

The decision comes after extensive discussions between prosecutors and the victim’s family, with the grandmother’s son, who is also Koval’s father, expressing support for the plea agreement in court. He described the situation as “very, very difficult,” acknowledging the profound loss of both his mother and his daughter’s future.

Koval was adjudicated delinquent but had an adult criminal record.

Broward Circuit Judge Thomas Coleman, who retains jurisdiction over the case, accepted the plea, which allows for juvenile sanctions despite the severity of the charge. A no-contest plea indicates that Koval does not dispute the manslaughter charge.

The charges stem from an incident on May 23, when Broward County Sheriff’s deputies found the elderly victim unresponsive in a Lauderdale Lakes apartment. An autopsy revealed extensive bruising, head trauma and internal bleeding.

Koval reportedly admitted to striking her grandmother multiple times with a belt and suggested she had assisted in her grandmother’s death.

Initially, Koval was Baker Acted and transported to a mental health facility, where she allegedly confessed to the killing.

Following the investigation, a magistrate found probable cause for the manslaughter charge, and Koval was held without bond before the plea agreement was reached.

As part of her sentence, Koval will be eligible for conditional release, similar to probation, until her 21st birthday.