Florida Woman, Run Over By Teens Who Beat Up Her Son, Dies

A Central Florida mother, who was run over by a van last month after she confronted four teens accused of beating up her 15-year-old son, has died.

According to the Polk County Sheriff’s Office, Suzette Penton, a librarian, suffered a traumatic brain injury and several broken bones in the incident, which happened on Nov. 9, said a report by Fox News.

According to the investigators, the van that mowed her down was driven by 18-year-old Elijah Stansell, who has now been charged with first-degree murder.

Three other teens, aged 14, 15 and 16, were also booked by the police. They were initially charged with attempted murder. But, deputies said upgraded charges are pending following Penton's death.

According to the investigators, the teens went to the woman's home because of a “romantic entanglement" between them and Penton's son. Following the altercation, the teens attacked the woman's son.

Seeing this, Penton went outside to confront the teens and to take pictures of their van to show the police.

Polk County Sheriff's spokeswoman Carrie Horstman said the teens purposely and intentionally mowed her down, critically injuring her.

"They had ample opportunity and space to get out of that area as she stood there in the street to take pictures of them to give to law enforcement. Instead, they ran her down in the road,” said Horstman, as reported by Fox News.

Records show the woman suffered a traumatic brain injury involving a severe brain bleed and skull fracture, a broken leg, a ligament injury to her left knee and she was aspirating fluid into her lungs. She was unresponsive and intubated in critical condition in the intensive care unit.

Eyewitnesses and surveillance video helped deputies quickly locate the teenage suspects. Video footage shows the suspects attacking the teenage victim and running over the boy's mother.

The sheriff's office said all four suspects admitted they had gone to the home to confront Penton's son. They also admitted to being in the van when Stansell intentionally ran Penton over, according to Orlando Sentinel.

Stansell also faces charges of burglary with assault, and three counts of contributing to the delinquency of a minor. He has also been charged with battery of a minor.