47-year-old woman died after the 13-year-old boy she tried to stop from stealing a car ran over her head while she was knocked out on the ground; teen sentenced
Wisconsin – In a tragic case in Wisconsin, a 16-year-old, identified as J. Adams, has been sentenced to decades behind bars for running over a 47-year-old woman, identified as S. Balogun, with her own vehicle when he was just 13 years old. The incident happened during a chaotic car theft attempt in 2021, leaving Balogun dead in a hotel parking lot after she tried to intervene.
Adams, who was charged as an adult, pleaded guilty to second-degree reckless homicide and taking a vehicle without consent. He was sentenced to 15 years in prison, followed by 10 years of extended supervision, with credit for the more than three years he has already spent in custody.
The fatal incident occurred in October 2021. Adams, who was 13 at the time, was part of a group of five teenagers who reportedly set out that night with the specific intent to steal a car. According to court records and witness statements, the teens were targeting a red vehicle in the parking lot of a hotel when Balogun spotted them. Described by police as a “good Samaritan,” Balogun approached the group in her vehicle in an attempt to stop the theft. She parked her car and got out to confront the teens directly.
While some of the teenagers fled the scene, Adams and two others stayed behind. According to witness testimony included in the criminal complaint, one of the teens punched Balogun in the face, knocking her down. Adams then climbed into the driver’s seat of her vehicle and, in an alarming sequence of events, kicked the car door into her face while she was on the ground. What happened next was fatal: Adams drove over Balogun’s head with her own vehicle as she lay unconscious on the road.
Witnesses later told police that when Adams rejoined the group after driving off in her vehicle, he told them, “I killed that lady.” Another teen recalled yelling at Adams, “You runned her over, there’s blood gushing out of her head.” Despite the horror of what had just occurred, none of the teenagers attempted to check on Balogun. She was left lying in the road and was pronounced dead at the scene.
Balogun’s vehicle was found nearly a day later on the city’s north side. Police engaged in a short pursuit before apprehending four teens — all under the age of 16 — including Adams. Originally, Adams faced six felony charges, including first-degree reckless homicide, hit-and-run resulting in death, and knowingly operating a vehicle without a license causing death. As part of a plea deal, he pleaded guilty to two charges while the rest were dismissed.
Although Adams was only 13 when the killing occurred, prosecutors tried him as an adult, citing the severity of the crime. Surveillance footage, eyewitness accounts, and admissions from the teens involved helped prosecutors secure the conviction. Now 16, Adams appeared before the court this week to receive his sentence. The judge handed down 15 years of incarceration and 10 years of extended supervision upon his release. He was given credit for over three years already served in juvenile custody.
The death of Balogun has left a lasting impact on the local community. A woman simply trying to do the right thing, she tragically paid with her life. Prosecutors and police emphasized that her actions were courageous and selfless — confronting a dangerous situation to protect others. Her killer, though just a child at the time, is now set to spend a significant portion of his life behind bars, a chilling reminder of how a night of reckless decisions ended with irreversible consequences. This case stands as a heartbreaking example of how acts of violence and crime can destroy lives on all sides — from the innocent victims to the youth who make devastating choices they can never undo.
