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The 14-year-old boy who changeable a cheerleader dormant astatine a location statement successful Arizona last twelvemonth has learned his fate.
Hailey Stephens, a 17-year-old cheerleader astatine Casa Grande Union High School, was killed aft being shot successful nan caput by a stray slug astatine a statement successful an abandoned location past November.
The boy charged successful her death, who was only 13-years-old astatine nan clip of nan shooting, was recovered blameworthy of second-degree execution connected Tuesday - but whitethorn only beryllium down bars until his 18 birthday.
'True justness for maine does mean for Hailey's execution would beryllium successful situation for nan remainder of their lives, but pursuing nan Arizona authorities law, this is what justness for Hailey looks like,' Vanessa Stephens, Hailey's mother, told Arizona's Family.
'I'm still searching for bid pinch that. There is nary closure. This condolences will enactment pinch maine until nan time I die.'
Hailey Stephens, 17, was killed aft being changeable successful nan caput by a stray slug astatine a statement successful an abandoned location past November
The boy charged successful her death, who was only 13 years aged astatine nan clip of nan shooting, was recovered blameworthy of second-degree execution connected Tuesday
The party, which was successful a vacant location on East Silver Reef Road successful Casa Grande, quickly turned deadly aft a gunfight betwixt aggregate teenagers collapsed retired astatine astir 1.30am.
Stephens and her friend, Kiley Mendoza, 17, were horrifically caught successful nan cross-fire of nan crazed shooting - astatine slightest 60 shots fired backmost and distant - while attempting to time off nan party.
Police said that nan girls were simply conscionable 'innocent bystanders' of nan shoot-out.
The teenage boys attempted to tally distant done nan neighbor's backyard earlier nan cops arrived to nan scene, Fox 10 reported.
Stephens was changeable successful nan caput and taken to a Phoenix infirmary successful captious information earlier succumbing to nan wounded a fewer hours later.
Mendoza was changeable successful nan limb and survived, but is near pinch condolences and affectional trauma aft nan decease of her friend.
Stephens and her friend were horrifically caught successful nan cross-fire of nan crazed shooting betwixt aggregate teenagers
There were astatine slightest 60 shots fired nan nighttime of nan tragedy
The abandoned location wherever nan statement took spot was near trashed and riddled pinch bullets aft nan fight
'You know, if we near a infinitesimal later, earlier, we wouldn't beryllium caught conscionable astatine nan incorrect spot astatine nan incorrect time,' Mendoza told Fox 10.
Nine teenagers were arrested successful relationship to nan shooting - 5 of them being charged pinch execution and nan different 4 pinch criminal trespassing.
But Stephens' slayer was nan only 1 that went to proceedings and was tried arsenic a juvenile successful Pinal County.
Because of Arizona law, nan now 14-year-old was incapable to beryllium tried arsenic an adult.
Court documents revealed that nan girls had ne'er seen nan boy earlier nan shooting considering he was from nan Coolidge area, Fox 10 reported.
Stephens' mother told Arizona's Family that she feels person to her girl and finds comfortableness while sitting successful her bedroom.
'She really was a bully person,' she said. 'I wasn't there. I only knew what I heard. I had to spot it for myself.'
The abandoned location was near trashed and riddled pinch bullets aft nan fight. But seeing nan grounds and learning nan specifications first manus during nan proceedings helped her mother judge nan heartbreaking reality.
Stephens' brother, who is now 13, is nan aforesaid property that her slayer was astatine nan clip of nan crime.
'The prosecution had to person maine arsenic well,' her mother told Arizona's Family. 'It's really difficult to swallow that a 13-year-old could do this.'
Three of Stephens' closest friends testified successful her execution lawsuit and are now near mourning their puerility friend.
'Any 14-year-old shouldn't moreover beryllium attending a statement nor person a weapon successful his manus facing it astatine anyone successful nan first place,' La’Tajanique Gaines, a adjacent friend, told Fox 10.
Stephens was a consecutive A student that had assemblage offers pouring in, and was a apical cheerleader.
The proprietor of nan location besides noted that nan location was wholly trashed aft nan party
A balloon release is group to return spot November 23 connected nan precocious school's shot section hosted by nan instauration created by her family to memorialize their loved one
Stephens' slayer whitethorn only beryllium down bars until his 18 day because of Arizona law
She had plans to be Arizona State University and cheer connected nan Sun Devils, Fox 10 reported.
'I'm numb to it,' her mother told Arizona's Family. 'I'm still stuck connected Hailey.'
The family created nan Hailey Lynn Stephens Foundation successful representation of their loved 1 successful March of this twelvemonth - a charitable statement to support graduating seniors who wish to further their acquisition aft precocious schoolhouse and beforehand organization goodwill.
The website, which describes Stephens arsenic a 'vibrant, uplifting and hardworking student', has a extremity to support seniors that embody those aforesaid characteristics.
A balloon merchandise hosted by nan nonprofit is group to return spot November 23 connected nan precocious school's shot field.
The 14-year-old boy's sentencing is scheduled for November 4.
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