MIAMI — A teen accused of fatally stabbing her ex-boyfriend changed her plea on Monday. Loved ones of the 17-year-old victim packed the courtroom.
Jahara Malik, now 18, pleaded guilty to charges of manslaughter and carrying a concealed weapon.
“It’s like bittersweet, it took a year, two months and 26 days for her to, you know, acknowledge or even hold accountability for what she did to my son,” Natalie Jean, the victim’s mother, said.
The victim was Yakheim Lollar, Malik’s ex-boyfriend and a former running back at Miami Northwestern Senior High School. An arrest form states that Malik, also 17 at the time, stabbed Lollar in the chest with a knife.
It happened on Dec. 20, 2024 at the apartment building where he lived in the 6100 block of Northwest Sixth Court, in Miami’s Liberty City neighborhood.
Malik told police the stabbing was an accident — a deadly, unintended result of horseplay.
“She wanted to accept responsibility even though this was unintended consequences of both their actions,” her defense attorney, Larry Handfield, said. “She’s been remorseful from day one. She immediately called 911 and started doing life-saving measures. So this was something that neither one of them wanted. This was nothing that she sought. And she’s been devastated since day one.”
Jean said she does not believe Malik is truly accepting responsibility.
“I don’t think she’s remorseful. If she was really remorseful, she would’ve (taken) accountability the first day it happened. I feel like she just (doesn’t) have any options left to do, like she dealt all her cards and she sees she’s not getting what she wants,” she said.
The guilty plea was not part of any deal, meaning Malik’s sentence will be entirely up to the judge.
Judge Christine Hernandez explained the range of possible outcomes during the hearing.
“I can give you anywhere from a youth offender sentence, if the court deems that appropriate, which means that could be anywhere from straight probation all the way to four years in state prison followed by a probationary sentence, or, if the court deems it fit, I can sentence you to state prison up to 30 years,” Hernandez said.
Malik said she understood. Jean wants to see her locked up.
“I want the max. You know that’s what I want. A life for a life,” she said.
Handfield did not say whether he will request that his client be sentenced as a youthful offender. But regardless of the sentence, he said all sides will have to live with what comes next.
“She’s gonna have to deal with this for the rest of her life,” he said. “Even once we’re get past all this.”
Jean said she now hopes the judge will deliver justice.
“Now we’re leaving it up to the judge to serve justice,” she said. “And hopefully my son will rest in peace.”
Malik is scheduled to be sentenced on May 5.
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