Girl, 17, Guilty of Homicide in Delaware School Death

Victim had previously unknown heart condition
By Newser Editors and Wire Services
Posted Apr 14, 2017 1:50 AM CDT
Girl Convicted of Homicide in School Bathroom Attack
A student cries in front of Howard High School of Technology on April 21, 2016, in Wilmington, Del.   (Suchat Pederson/The Wilmington News-Journal via AP)

A 17-year-old girl was convicted Thursday of criminally negligent homicide in a school bathroom attack in Delaware that left a 16-year-old classmate dead. The ruling came in a nonjury trial for three girls charged in the death of Amy Joyner-Francis, the AP reports. All three were 16 when the fight happened last year and were tried as juveniles. The girl convicted of homicide also was found guilty of misdemeanor conspiracy. One of the other girls, who in an online post said "we gonna get her. .... she's scared" and kicked Amy while she was on the floor struggling to defend herself, also was convicted of conspiracy.

Family Court Judge Robert Coonin acquitted the third girl of conspiracy, saying there was no evidence she threatened Amy and was even seen on a cellphone video pulling the girl convicted of homicide off Amy. All three girls opted not to testify. The AP is not naming them because they're minors. An autopsy found that Amy, who had a rare heart condition undetected by her doctors, died of sudden cardiac death, aggravated by physical and emotional stress from the April 2016 fight at Howard High School of Technology in Wilmington. The families of Amy and of her assailant left the courthouse without commenting. Sentencing for the two girls declared delinquent is set for May 23. (More Delaware stories.)

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