Central Florida mother run over by teens who beat up her son dies, officials say

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.

The sheriff’s office said Suzette Penton, a librarian in Polk City, died from her injuries last week. Sheriff Grady Judd will give an update on the investigation at 11 a.m.

Penton’s injuries stemmed from a Nov. 9 incident that led to the arrest of 18-year-old Elijah Stansell and three juveniles who had originally faced charges of attempted murder, according to a sheriff’s office report.

The Orlando Sentinel does not name juveniles unless prosecutors formally charge them as adults.

At about 2:50 p.m., the suspects approached Penton’s house to handle a “domestic dispute,” PCSO said.

Stansell and two other suspects banged on the victim’s door, until Penton’s son answered. The fourth suspect remained in the van. When the son answered, Stansell and a second suspect attacked him, according to the report. The fight then moved inside the house.

All three suspects ran back to their van when Penton returned home. Stansell ran into the driver’s seat. Penton followed and began documenting the incident on her phone.

Stansell then reportedly ran over Penton, according to the report. Multiple witnesses and video footage documented the incident.

Penton was taken to a hospital in critical condition. An arrest affidavit said the incident left Penton with a traumatic brain injury and several broken bones.

Deputies took Stansell to Polk County Jail; he was originally charged with attempted murder, burglary with assault, and three counts of contributing to the delinquency of a minor. He was also charged with battery of a minor.

The three other suspects were taken to a juvenile facility and at the time were charged with attempted murder and burglary with assault.

All of the suspects admitted to visiting the victim’s home, fleeing the scene, and being in the van when Stansell intentionally ran Penton over, according to the report.

Sheriff Grady Judd called it “a coordinated, planned attack, carried out by a group of teens who beat up a teen then ran over his mother, leaving her for dead.”

Staff writer Richard Tribou and The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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