The mother of a 17-year-old student, accused of stabbing star athlete DeAndre Johnson at Killian High School, spoke exclusively with NBC 6 on Friday.
The defendant was charged as a juvenile and that's why we're not disclosing her identity or that of her mother.
"I'm so sorry, you know, for everything that took place," the mother said. "My daughter, she was with a lot of hurt rambling inside of her from prior situations."
Authorities said the teen attacked Johnson with a knife, leaving him with a punctured lung, a severed artery and mass internal bleeding.
"I'm in so much pain, my chest, every breath hurts. It's just constant," Johnson said during his recovery.
"He's made a tremendous recovery. He's looking forward to going back to playing football," said the victim's attorney, Judd Rosen.
As Johnson continued recuperating, the defendant accepted a plea deal from prosecutors in juvenile court. Last week, she pleaded guilty to aggravated battery with great bodily harm.
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"It's not really saying that she was guilty or she's trying to run from anything or any charges, it's just that we're so glad she took it so she can get the adequate help that she needs," the defendant's mother said.
After all this, she has a message to the victim and his family: "I just thank them so much for being patient and being kind and understanding."
The defendant will serve out her sentence in a maximum security facility until she turns 21 or she could be released sooner, depending on her psychological assessments by experts.
