A teen behind bars has some words of warning. Her plea to other kids in Milwaukee - don't be like me.
The family of Illahje Davis is giving a voice to the songs and words she can't speak.
"I'm now 17 years old. I'm in prison for first degree reckless homicide," says Delonda Davis, reading her daughter's letter from prison. "I lay in my cell every night and I hear my mother's voice saying 'you better stop doing what you are doing.'"
Illahje wishes she could go back to four years ago and listen to her mom. She was 13 years old and high on ecstasy when she killed Ronald Forbes. The 57-year-old man was riding his bike down the street when she ran him over with a car she had stolen. Illahje admits she was not a good person at the time.
"I ran the streets, disrespected my mother and other authority figures," says Delonda Davis. "We jumped people, we stole cars, you name it."
After four years in jail, Davis' mom says she has seen other teens in Milwaukee doing the same thing - stealing cars and thinking there are no consequences.
"It wasn't until I hurt somebody else and took somebody else's loved one that my frame of mind changed and trust me, you don't want to learn this way," says Delonda Davis.
Illahje also apoligized to the Forbes family, saying she hopes trying to stop someone else from making her mistakes will help honor him.
"My heart still hurts. I'm so so sorry for all the pain that I caused," says Delonda Davis.
Illahje davis is serving a 10 year prison sentence.
Davis' mother says there are a lot of community resources and she should have asked for help instead of trying to do it all herself.
