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Teen bound over for trial in deadly stabbing of girl at Warren high school

Posted at 9:20 AM, Mar 01, 2019
and last updated 2019-03-01 18:22:17-05

WARREN, Mich. (WXYZ) — The teen charged with murder in the fatal stabbing of her classmate at Warren Fitzgerald was bound over for trial after a preliminary hearing on Friday. Tanaya Lewis will head to court on the first degree murder charge, a judge ruled.

Two weeks ago, the preliminary exam began for Gibson, where fellow students and her teacher took the stand. On Friday, the officer who took Lewis' statement is testified.

Lewis sat expressionless as her classmates and teacher relived the horror of September 12th.

It was a day teacher Sara Sonnenfeld said started off like any other.

"I stand at the door, I greet student, I shake their hands as they come in," says Sonnenfeld.

Lewis and 16-year-old Danyna Gibson were both in her 2nd period class. During a transition into a group project, Sonnenfeld testified she suddenly saw Danyna run across the room.

"I see Tanaya continuing to run after her. Smiling," says Sonnefeld emotionally.

That's when she says she saw an object in Tanaya's hand that looked like scissors or a knife. Sonnefeld says she grabbed the teen from the back and pushed her out of the classroom into the hallway, struggling to keep Tanaya out of the classroom.

“Is she saying anything at this time?" asked the prosecuting attorney.

"She told Evan, she told Evan, I hope she dies, I hope she dies," Sonnefeld responded.

Gibson died from 2 stab wounds. Prosecutors say she and Lewis liked the same boy, a boy named Evan.

In court today his face wasn’t shown but the teen testified that Tanaya texted him just before the stabbing. Then she called him about 20 minutes after she allegedly killed Dayana.

Evan testified that he asked her why she did it and Tanaya just said 'I'm sorry.

The Dean of Discipline testified that he didn’t know Tenaya Lewis well, because she had never received formal disciplinary action for any reason while attending the school.

He also said the entire staff had just received special training 2 weeks prior to this attack, that prepared them for a day they hoped wouldn't come.