Westchester County Assistant District Attorney Nicholas DiCostanzo announced the indictment of three teenagers for their roles in the fatal stabbing of Valaree Schwab, a 16-year-old junior at the high school.
According to police, officers responded to Dunkin' Donuts on North Avenue shortly after 12:20 p.m. on Jan. 10, where there were reports of a fight involving multiple high school-aged students. During the dispute, Schwab suffered two stab wounds to her torso from a steak knife. She was transported to Jacobi Medical Center in the Bronx, but was pronounced dead there later in the afternoon.
Yonkers resident Z’inah Brown, also a student at the high school, surrendered herself to police in New Rochelle the day after the fatal stabbing. She is facing a second-degree murder charge.
On Wednesday, Scarpino announced that Brown has been indicted on charges that include felony counts of second-degree murder, first-degree manslaughter and criminal possession of a weapon, a misdemeanor. Brown and two others - Dominique Slack, 17 and Carl Booker, 17 - were also charged with felony counts of gang assault, and first-degree stalking. The three were also charged with misdemeanor counts of third-degree stalking and third-degree assault.
Each was arraigned in Westchester County Court on Wednesday afternoon. Slack was remanded to the Westchester County Jail in lieu of bail and Booker was released on $25,000 bail. Brown is currently pending. Each is due back in court on April 17 to answer the charges.
Video later released shows Schwab and a friend at Subway on North Avenue, briefly interacting with a group of seven people, including the three defendants. The group had reportedly been following Schwab for several blocks, harassing her
The fatal stabbing was following by several other violent incidents involving students, and the manhunt continues for a student involved in a stabbing on Jan 18, according to police.
“We are working closely with the Westchester County District Attorney’s Office to identify those individuals involved and what roles they may have played,” New Rochelle Police Capt. Robert Gazzola said following a second arrest that was made last month implicating a 15-year-old suspect who was charged in Family Court.
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