A 16-year-old suspect turned himself in after admitting to his parents that he and two others tried to steal an Ohio teacher’s car and run her over.
Alexa Stakely, 29, was beaten by the unidentified 16-year-old on July 11 after he panicked when she confronted the group to save her son in the backseat during the robbery, Columbus police said.
Now, the 16-year-old who fatally beat the teacher has turned himself in, accompanied by his parents, after admitting to them that he had committed the crime.
“My understanding is that his parents and his conscience got to him a little bit,” said Sgt. Joe Albert. WBNS‘We want to thank his parents… His parents immediately brought him here to Columbus Police Headquarters.’
Albert said the teen admitted to hitting Ms. Stakely after she “startled him and he panicked, walked away and struck Ms. Stakely, causing her death.”
The teenager, along with another 16-year-old and Gerald Dowling, 19, have been charged with murder.
Alexa Stakely, 29, was beaten by the unidentified 16-year-old on July 11 after he panicked when she confronted the group to save her son in the backseat during the middle of the robbery, Columbus police said.
Now, the 16-year-old who fatally beat the teacher has turned himself in, accompanied by his parents, after admitting to them that he had committed the crime.
Bail was set at $10 million for Dowling after he turned himself in to Columbus police on Wednesday and admitted his role in the tragedy.
Both children are enrolled in the Canal Winchester Local School District, the same district where Stakely taught as a speech pathologist, according to WBNS.
The educator was fatally struck around 1 a.m. as she was leaving her babysitter’s apartment complex after noticing the 16-year-old had started to leave the premises. She screamed for him to stop and to call her son.
The 16-year-old, who was not identified, said he and his friends were looking for a car to steal when they spotted Stakely’s car.
The teen, along with another 16-year-old and Gerald Dowling, 19 (pictured), have been charged with murder. Dowling was given bail of $10 million after he turned himself in to Columbus police on Wednesday and admitted his role in the tragedy.
Stakely had left her six-year-old son to go get her daughter’s belongings.
The car hit her and threw her to the pavement, causing a head injury. She was pronounced dead at the hospital.
The boys then abandoned the Honda CRV a short distance away and police found the toddler unharmed inside, police said.
Canal Winchester Schools posted a heartfelt tribute on Facebook to Stakely, a dedicated speech and language therapist who worked with preschoolers at Winchester Trail Elementary School.
“My understanding is that his parents and his conscience got to him a little bit,” said Sgt. Joe Albert (pictured). “We want to thank his parents… His parents immediately brought him here to Columbus Police Headquarters.”
“Ms. Alexa,” as her students called her, had worked in the district for five years.
“Ms. Stakely’s family shared that she died heroically while trying to save her 6-year-old son during a carjacking. Thankfully, her son was not injured and is now with the family. Please keep Alexa’s son, family, and friends in your prayers during this difficult time,” the district wrote in the statement. Facebook mail.
“Alexa was passionate about children and speech and language therapy,” the post said. “She was smart and compassionate, and cared deeply about helping children develop their ability to communicate. She was a great mother who was incredibly dedicated to her son. Ms. Stakely made a difference in the lives of the students and families she worked with and will be missed by many in our community and beyond.”
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