MIAMI – A teenage girl accused of fatally stabbing her 17-year-old ex-boyfriend outside of his Miami apartment last month faced a judge Saturday.
Miami-Dade Circuit Judge Stacy D. Glick set Jahara Malik’s bond at $50,000 and also required her to wear a GPS ankle monitor while awaiting trial.
Malik, 17, was arrested Tuesday in connection with the Dec. 20 stabbing of Yahkeim Lollar, a former running back at Miami Northwestern Senior High School.
Police said Lollar was found suffering from a stab wound to the chest on the third floor of a parking garage at his apartment complex in the 6100 block of Northwest Sixth Court.
He was rushed to Jackson Memorial Hospital’s Ryder Trauma Center, where he was pronounced dead at 11:53 p.m., according to investigators.
Surveillance footage reviewed by investigators showed Malik dropping a knife near the crime scene, according to an arrest report.
During questioning, police said Malik told detectives that she typically carried pepper spray for safety but brought a knife instead when she couldn’t find it.
The Miami-Dade Medical Examiner’s Office ruled Lollar’s death a homicide.
Malik told detectives that she and Lollar were “horseplaying” before the stabbing occurred and also made a statement that was redacted in the publicly released report.
Malik’s attorney said she remained at the scene after the stabbing, attempting to render aid as police arrived, but she was not taken into custody right away.
Despite Malik’s arrest, Lollar’s family remains devastated. His mother, Nathalie Jean, spoke to Local 10 News at a vigil last month.
“His life was taken away for no reason at 17, and we all know he had a bright future ahead of him,” Jean said.
“By somebody just playing, they took my boy’s life. That’s what they said. They was playing,” said Darveed Lollar, Yahkeim’s father.
Glick agreed that Malik, who had no prior arrests, did not appear to be a flight risk but expressed concerns about whether she would remain in the area once charges were formally filed.
Ultimately, Glick granted Malik bond, noting that a hearing before another judge would be scheduled within five days to determine whether she should remain out of custody.
Malik is facing one count of manslaughter with a deadly weapon and remains in custody at Turner Guilford Knight Correctional Center as of Saturday evening.
His father also questioned the circumstances of the incident.
“By somebody just playing, took my boy’s life—just playing—that’s what they said, they was playing,” he said.
A motive has not yet been disclosed.