17-Year-Old Girl Charged With Murder In Mother's Fatal Stabbing Christmas Day

MOUNT CLEMENS (WWJ) - A 17-year-old girl has been charged as an adult in the stabbing death of her mother in their Clinton Township apartment Christmas Day.

Delilah Evans said little as she was arraigned in 41B District Court, via video conference from the Macomb County Jail, on one count of first degree murder.

District Court Judge Daniel Goulette ruled during Wednesday's proceedings that "considering the severity of the charge," Evans would be held without bond.  Asked if she understood, Evans said "yes."

A not guilty plea was entered on Evans' behalf.

The teen was arrested at a 7 Eleven store early Monday after the body of her mother, 45-year-old Sonia Riang, was found Sunday night at the Washington Place apartments. Riang, who is disabled and uses a wheelchair, hadn't been seen since around noon that day.

Evans' aunt, Kanitha Moldin, is worried about her niece whom she says suffers from an undiagnosed mental illness.

"They haven't let us talk to her, we haven't seen her, she haven't made a phone call," Moldin told WWJ's Jon Hewett and other reporters. "She's sitting there — she did not understand anything that was said to her. She doesn't understand anything."

According to her brothers, Evans talked about hearing voicing, having a dark angel and about someone killing their mother on Christmas Day.

Prosecutors have not discussed a possible motive in the case, although police said officers had been called to the apartment previously for family trouble with Evans.

Evans will remain jailed pending her next court appearance set for Jan. 11. She faces the possibility of life in prison without parole if convicted as charged.