FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. – A 14-year-old girl accused of murdering her grandmother in late May faced a Broward County judge again on Monday.
Sofia Koval is accused of beating her grandmother, 79-year-old Yevheniia Koval, to death on May 23 at their home in Lauderdale Lakes.
Koval, charged with second-degree murder, appeared in court with help from a Ukrainian translator; her mother watched the court hearing from Ukraine via Zoom.
There’s still been no decision announced as to whether she will be tried as an adult.
Her public defender told the court that a doctor examined Koval and said the teen will continue to receive ongoing care in order to fully assess her mental condition.
Both sides also agreed to extend her secure detention beyond 21 days.
Another hearing in the case has been scheduled for July 24.