Girl accused in stabbing death of Miami Northwestern student to remain under house arrest
A teenage girl accused in the stabbing death of her on-again, off-again high school boyfriend will remain under house arrest until trial, a judge ruled Thursday.
But the judge restricted the detention rules for Jahara Malik, 17 — who had been under house arrest since last weekend shortly after her arrest. Jahara can now only leave her home to go to school or to see attorneys until her tentatively scheduled May trial. Previously, she had a curfew and certain activity privileges.
“It’s a tragedy for the victim’s family, one that is going to affect them forever and one that Ms. Malik is going to have to answer for,” Miami-Dade Circuit Court Judge Christine Hernandez said during her ruling.
Jahara was charged with manslaughter, a bondable offense, for the Dec. 20 stabbing death of her sometimes boyfriend Yahkeim Lollar, 17, in the parking garage of his family’s apartment complex. She claimed it was accidental during “horseplay.”
Yahkeim’s family believes the stabbing was out of anger after Jahara was shunned by Yahkeim, a popular student athlete at Miami Northwestern Senior High.
Thursday’s hearing was unusual in that Yahkeim’s family argued that Jahara remain jailed, even as Miami-Dade Assistant State Attorney Kevin Betancourt only recommended the highest degree of house arrest for Jahara. And it was emotional, as dozens of Yahkeim’s friends and family members packed the chamber, several speaking on behalf of the high school junior who starred on the football field and who was set to graduate early.
‘She betrayed our trust’: victim’s mother
Yahkeim’s mother Nathalie Jean told the judge how she was crestfallen by Jahara, whom she befriended, spoke to often and allowed into her home.
“I trusted her. My son trusted her. And she betrayed our trust,” Jean told the judge. “She needs to sit in jail and think about what she did.”
Betancourt, who had little choice but to argue for the most restrictive house arrest for the teen because of the manslaughter charge, urged Yahkeim’s family members to speak. Despite recommending her release, the state had had concerns Jahara would be released, he said.
Only Jahara’s mother Antonette Gash spoke briefly on her behalf. She said she wasn’t aware her daughter often carried a knife with her. A trial has been tentatively set for May 5.
Stabbed to death Christmas week
Yahkeim was killed five days before Christmas in the third-floor garage of his apartment complex at Northwest Sixth Court and 61st Street. He was stabbed in the chest and died within an hour.
Jahara, who police said called 911 after the stabbing, answered investigators questions at police headquarters. Police also said they viewed surveillance video that showed Jahara and a friend getting out of a vehicle in the parking garage, Yahkeim bleeding from his chest and Jahara dropping a knife.
She told police she had been shopping at Dadeland Mall with a friend and that Yahkeim agreed to meet them afterward. She also said she took the knife because she couldn’t find the pepper spray she usually takes as a safety measure when using a share ride.
Jahara said she was horsing around and accidentally stabbed Yahkeim. But police didn’t arrest and charge her until more than a month later. She was taken into custody Jan. 28 and last weekend a family court judge allowed her to go home on limited house arrest — she could leave her home with a GPS monitor — after her family posted a $50,000 bond.
She spent one day in jail.
A parent ‘shouldn’t bury their child’
During Thursday’s hearing before Judge Hernandez, Jahara’s attorney Larry Handfield argued that his client was not a threat to society or a flight risk. He also said she had no history with the court and had obeyed the rules set by the judge who issued the original house arrest order.
“She assisted law enforcement. They investigated the case for about a month. She attended school. There was no violation whatsoever,” said the defense attorney.
Handfield’s request to release Jahara to an aunt living in Port St. Lucie was denied by Hernandez, who said the court had no jurisdiction outside of Miami-Dade.
Also speaking Thursday was Yahkeim’s father Darveed Lollar, who said his son was smart, a great student and always made the family laugh.
“No parent should have to bury their child,” he said.
This story was originally published February 6, 2025 at 5:10 PM.
