Teen Sentenced In 2018 Stabbing Death Of 16-Year-Old

NEW ROCHELLE, NY — The New Rochelle High School students who killed another student received her sentence Wednesday. The Westchester County District Attorney Anthony A. Scarpino Jr. said Z'inah Brown, 18, was sentenced to 17 years in state prison for the January 2018 stabbing death of 16-year-old Valaree Schwab.

Brown had pleaded guilty in May to first-degree manslaughter, a felony.

Additionally, she will have to serve five years' post-release supervision.

Schwab's sister, Britney Schwab, read a statement in court on the impact her sister's death had on her, her father and other family.

According to a spokesman, she spoke directly to Brown, saying, "Your violent rampage stole a third sibling away from me long before it was their time.

"I hope that her sudden, untimely death will never be used in a discussion as fuel for hate," Schwab said. "I hope that, if anything, it can serve as a reminder for young people to find peaceful ways to resolve conflict and for families to hold their loved ones a little closer.

"I know Valaree would want us to bury hate and choose peace instead," she said.

The stabbing occurred Jan. 10, 2018, after a group of New Rochelle teens taunted Valaree Schwab and a 15-year-old high school student.

The gang of teens, including Brown, physically confronted and assaulted Schwab on North Avenue resulting in an injury to her.

At the time of the assault, she dropped her house keys and one of the group picked them up.

Schwab followed the group to Dunkin' Donuts on North Avenue to try to get her keys back.

While inside the store, Brown stabbed Schwab, police said. She was pronounced dead later that day at Jacobi Medical Center in the Bronx.

All of the teens were New Rochelle High School students.

Two other teens, Dominique Slack and Carl Booker, both pleaded guilty to first-degree stalking, a felony, for being part of the gang that day.

Booker was sentenced March 29 to "shock probation" where he will be incarcerated in Westchester County Jail for six months and serve a total of five years' probation. In February 2019, Slack received the same sentence.

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