FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. — Four years after a single mother of three was killed in a crash, the teen who was behind the wheel of the car that hit her is now being sentenced.

Now 19, Jah’Kobe Bessent awaits his fate for a crime spree in August 2022 that ended in the fatal crash. Investigators said Bessent, then 15, was driving a stolen vehicle and fleeing from police when he caused the wreck that killed 35-year-old Maria Tellez-Valderrabano.

State prosecutors said Bessent and 13-year-old Jacory Flournoy first broke into a Fort Lauderdale home while the residents were sleeping, stole their car and later crashed into another vehicle, killing Tellez-Valderrabano.

Tellez-Valderrabano’s family was in court Thursday wearing pendants with her picture on them as several of Bessent’s relatives testified in his defense.

“I saw it on the news. I had a feeling that he was involved in it,” one family member said.

During the sentencing hearing, Bessent’s aunt, Latonya Burns, described what she said was a difficult and traumatic upbringing that severely affected his mental state.

Bessent’s sister, who is also behind bars, testified that she and her brother were physically abused. She said there were times when their mother ordered her to hold Jah’Kobe down while he was beaten.

State prosecutors argued that the disturbing details of Bessent’s upbringing should not take away from the fact that a woman was killed and a family lost their loved one.

The victim’s family said they want justice for Tellez-Valderrabano’s death, but the judge will ultimately decide Bessent’s sentence.

At the time of this report, Bessent’s father was on the witness stand.

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