Man Who Helped With Girl’s Suicide Sentenced To Prison
Dec 7, 2018, 8:11 PM | Updated: 9:01 pm
PROVO, Utah – A judge sentenced a Utah County man to prison for child abuse homicide after he admitted to helping a 16-year-old girl die by suicide.
Tyerell Przybycien, age 19, will serve at least five years and up to life in prison for his role in the death of Jchandra Brown. He pleaded guilty to the reduced charge as part of a plea deal that threw out the more serious murder charge.
Przybycien admitted to facilitating the suicide by buying a rope, tying a noose and then using a cell phone to record Brown’s death on May 5, 2017, in Payson Canyon.
During his sentencing hearing on Friday, Przybycien stood and issued an apology to Brown’s family.
“I’m also hoping that, although I don’t deserve it, the victim’s family will be able to forgive me for my immature and thoughtless and rash decisions,” he said. “What I did I’m not proud of, and it doesn’t deserve pity.”
Prosecutors described Przybycien as being fixated with death.
“The level of depravity here—the planning that went on and then the comments and his writings afterward—puts this into a different category,” said Deputy Utah County Attorney Chad Grunander.
After the sentencing, Grunander estimated that Przybycien will spend about 11 years in prison.
“It’s a good sentence, a very appropriate sentence,” he said.
Outside the courtroom, Brown’s mother Sue Bryan said her daughter should still be alive and preparing for prom, cheerleading and the rest of her life.
“She was such an amazing friend and laughed and enjoyed life and she was planning on her future,” Bryan said.
Bryan said her daughter had no voice or choice at the time of her death. She described Jchandra as being willing to help anyone and that Przybycien could have helped her, but didn’t.
“I don’t want him out to cause pain and havoc on anyone else’s family, anyone else’s children,” Bryan said. “I cannot describe to you the pain of losing a child. There are no words.”
