Left inset: Taquida Hendrix (WHAM/YouTube). Right inset: Malakai Stovall (GoFundMe). Background: The home that Taquida Hendrix allegedly set on fire, killing 5-year-old Malakai Stovall (WHAM/YouTube).
A New York woman who poured gas on a random house and set it ablaze in 2024, killing a 5-year-old boy sleeping on the second floor, got hit with a maximum sentence Wednesday for murder and other charges. The woman said she unleashed the fire attack in retaliation for an alleged assault on her dad — admitting afterward that she targeted the wrong home.
"I believe what Taquida Hendrix chose to do that day is not forgivable, is not redeemable, and was just wrong in every way," said Monroe County Assistant District Attorney Kevin Sunderland in a statement at Hendrix's sentencing, according to local CBS affiliate WROC.
"There was no mercy, no reprieve for my grandson," victim Malakai Stovall's grandmother, Karen Mitchell, told the judge. "She's responsible for the heinous crime that took Kai Kai's life in the most horrible way imaginable. We humbly ask that she is given a sentence equal to the immense suffering she caused."
Hendrix, 33, was convicted in September of second-degree murder, first-degree arson and second-degree assault for the July 2024 fire. She was sentenced Wednesday to serve 25 years to life in prison for the murder and arson charges, along with seven years for the assault charge and five years of post-release supervision. Sunderland said the punishment was "absolutely appropriate."
"She didn't show any remorse at all," Malakai's mother, Brianna Akers, said in court, according to WROC. "I would like her to get life in prison without parole. This has been the worst experience of my life. I hope no one in this courtroom ever has to experience this."
Flames ripped through Malakai's home on July 28, 2024, at around 2 a.m. after Hendrix and her sister, Tiakayla Hendrix, 21, and a third defendant, Roy Chambers, pulled up to the residence to set it on fire as retaliation for an alleged attack on the Hendrixes' father earlier in the day. The trio thought a person involved in the alleged attack lived there, per local ABC affiliate WHAM.
"Although Malakai Stovall was not her intended target, Taquida Hendrix set the house ablaze without a care of whose lives were destroyed," said District Attorney Perry Duckles in a September 2025 press release after Hendrix's conviction. "Malakai Stovall was a joyful, energetic 5-year-old boy who was the light of his family's lives," Sunderland said in the release. "Taquida Hendrix intentionally started the fire that ripped this young child from his entire family."
According to prosecutors, Taquida Hendrix "doused the front porch" of Malakai's house while he was home with a babysitter. Her sister and Chambers were serving as lookouts for her. They both pleaded guilty to second-degree arson for their roles in assisting Hendrix and were sentenced to nine years and 12 years in prison, respectively.
"I couldn't imagine losing one of my kids," Chambers told Malakai's family during his sentencing, according to local NBC affiliate WHEC.
"I truly understand your pain," Chambers said. "I'm sorry for what took place."
Tiakayla Hendrix, who testified against her sister at her trial in September, also expressed remorse for what happened.
"I'm sorry, truly," she said. "I'm sorry for this incident. It wasn't my intention to hurt anybody. I hope you guys can forgive me with all your heart and accept my apology."
Taquida Hendrix, meanwhile, chose to remain silent at her sentencing after being advised to do so by her attorney, who provided a brief statement.
"I think there's a big difference between those who actively try and pursue and commit murder, intentional murder," attorney Paul Guerrieri said, according to WHAM. "I think there's a difference between that and making a horrible, horrible, foolish, and stupid decision that ends up resulting in a tragedy," Guerrieri concluded.
It took Monroe County jurors just 30 minutes to convict Taquida Hendrix, according to WHEC.
"I just would like to say, she is responsible for this heinous crime," Mitchell blasted at Taquida Hendrix's sentencing. "She robbed 'Kai Kai' of his life in a very violent and horrible way, the most horrible way imaginable."
Sunderland told reporters, "I hope they feel some solace in this, some closure, because that's all that we can give them. Taquida Hendrix doesn't deserve to be remembered. We should only remember the wonderful things Malakai did and all the hope he could have been."
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