PORTSMOUTH, Va. — A woman was found guilty on Wednesday of three charges in connection to the 2019 death of 17-year-old Nye'Tazia Hicks.
Police discovered the body of Nye’Tazia Hicks at Evergreen Memorial Cemetery the night of July 27, 2019. Nye'Tazia's pride and joy was her 6-month-old son, Bobby Jr.
Simone Worrell was found guilty of felony murder, felony child abuse/neglect and concealment of a dead body.
Watch previous coverage: 'My child was robbed of her life': Portsmouth mother speaks out after 17-year-old found dead in cemetery
On the night of the incident, Hicks arrived at Worrell's home in the 1600 block of Darren Circle to babysit Worrell's children, according to court documents. Several other children were also home at the time.
One of the children got an unsecured gun from a closet during the night. When Hicks tried to take the gun, she was shot in her torso, according to court documents.
The child tried to put pressure on the wound and call 911, but Worrell hung up the phone, stating she was a felon, according to court documents. The child then fled from the home.
Worrell took Hicks' body to Evergreen Memorial Cemetery and abandoned her body along a cart path.
Watch previous coverage: Second person charged in connection to Portsmouth teen mom killed and dumped in cemetery
“This case represents a devastating and entirely preventable loss of a young life,” said Portsmouth Commonwealth's Attorney Stephanie Morales. "Nye-Tazia Hicks was a teenager who should have been safe in the care of an adult. Instead, reckless decisions and criminal conduct created a deadly situation that deprived her family of the life she should have been able to live."
Sentencing for this case is scheduled for May 1 at 9 a.m.
