No one expected 18-year-old Ky’Andrea Cook to receive a 20-year prison sentence—not even the prosecutor, who had waived mandatory sentencing hoping for leniency.
Cook had pleaded no contest to charges of carjacking and battery after luring someone into a fake sexual encounter that led to a robbery by her boyfriend. A 17-year-old was shot during the incident, though the shooter remains unidentified.
Expecting probation or house arrest, Cook was stunned by the outcome. Her lawyer says she was misled and is now trying to withdraw her plea.
Heartbreak filled the courtroom—Cook’s mother collapsed in tears, and Cook broke down soon after. The emotional scene went viral, igniting national debate about justice, youth accountability, and racial disparities in sentencing.
