18-year-old Jeremiah Ryan pleads to 15 years to life in prison in 2022 murder of 16-year-old Angellyh Yambo
NEW YORK -- An 18-year-old in the Bronx is now facing 15 years to life in prison after pleading guilty to the April 2022 murder of 16-year-old Angellyh Yambo.
It's a story CBS New York has been covering from the start, and our reporter Shosh Bedrosian was with the family in court after they waited hours for the news to come down.
"I wanted him to do the max, which is 25 to life. I would've been more satisfied with that sentence because no matter what I won't have my baby back," said Angellyh's mom, Yanely Henriquez.
There is nothing that can bring Angellyh back, but there is now a sense of peace and closure her mother hopes she can finally find.
"He did a crime. He has to pay for it. I don't have my daughter, so just like my daughter don't have a second chance, he shouldn't have a second chance, either," Henriquez said.
Eighteen-year-old Jeremiah Ryan is now facing 15 years to life behind bars after officials say he killed Angellyh when he started firing a gun during an argument in broad daylight back in 2022. Officials say the gun was an unregistered ghost gun bought on the internet.
Angellyh was walking with friends after school in Melrose when she was innocently caught in the crossfire.
Angellyh just celebrated her sweet 16 a few months before she was killed. She had dreams of becoming a doctor and having a future. Her parents say she would be preparing to go to college this fall if her life wasn't recklessly cut short by Ryan's actions.
"She and her aunt always said, 'Mama, I'm going to be the only one with a degree in the family,' and she was very big on that," Henriquez said.
Angellyh's life now guides her neighborhood in Kingsbridge Heights, where a street was renamed after her. Her family unveiled the sign this past April and is continuing her legacy through a foundation that will work to prevent gun violence through after-school programing.
"We have these programs that is going to help our youth to be successful in life, and like Angellyh, like this person picked up a gun instead of book. Angellyh picked up a book instead of a gun," said Angellyh's aunt, Mary Hernandez.
Angellyh's family plans on speaking at Ryan's sentencing, which will be on Sept. 15.
