Who is Fanta Bility's mother? Family of 8-year-old girl killed by police gunfire in Pennsylvania reaches $11M settlement
Warning: This article contains a recollection of crime and can be triggering to some, readers’ discretion advised.
PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA: The mother of Fanta Bility, Tenneh Kromah, is still mourning the death of her eight-year-old daughter, who was fatally shot by police as she left a football game in Sharon Hill, Pennsylvania, in 2021.
Kromah told ABC Philadelphia station WPVI, "I miss my baby. Me and Fanta were so close. The other kids, they used to say 'you love Fanta too much.' I would say yes."
Two years after the tragic incident, which left the eight-year-old dead and three others wounded, Fanta's family has been able to reach an $11 million settlement in their legal lawsuit against the municipality of Sharon Hill.
Fanta Bility's mother Tenneh Kromah remembers her daughter
Tenneh Kromah fought back tears as she thought about how much she loved her daughter, admitting that it has been "very difficult" to deal with the loss of Fanta, the youngest of her six children.
She described her eight-year-old as a "very friendly" girl who loved fashion and TikTok videos.
As she recalled her time spent there with her child, Kromah sought after the slides and swings at Sharon Hill Park in Delaware County. After the agreement was finalized, Kromah exclusively told Action News, "Fanta used to come to this park."
Asked about the mother's intense grief, Fanta's uncle Abu Bility earlier remarked, "Whenever she sees Fanta's photo... it kind of refreshes her memory that it just happened." The living room of the house remains devoid of any images of Fanta, as per Action News.
The family's legal battle has been resolved with the settlement, but their effort to preserve the eight-year-old's memory and avert catastrophes similar to the one that took her life has only just begun.
Fanta Bility's family reaches $11 million settlement for her shooting death
The family of Fanta Bility was able to reach a $11 million settlement two years after her death. "We have entered into a federal settlement agreement with the Bility family and all other plaintiffs named in the claim," read a statement released by the Borough of Sharon Hill on its website.
It further reads, "Although we cannot undo the tragic events of that day, we hope that the resolution of the lawsuit might provide those impacted a small measure of closure."
Van der Veen, Hartshorn, and Levin, the law firm assisting the family of Bility, expressed the hope that the settlement will provide some "measure of justice and accountability to those whose lives were forever changed."
Fanta's mother, Kromah, told NBC Philadelphia, "There is no amount of money that will ever bring Fanta back or erase the horrible tragedy of what occurred on August 27, 2021, from our minds."
"We hope to move on and focus specifically on the Fanta Bility Foundation and keeping Fanta’s name and legacy alive," added the grieving mother.
Fanta Bility was killed by a single gunshot to her torso
Fanta Bility was shot once in the torso, killing her on the spot. According to district attorney Jack Stollsteimer, investigators found that the eight-year-old was killed by police gunfire.
The three cops involved in the incident that took place on August 27, 2021—Devon Smith, Sean Dolan, and Brian Devaney—were terminated by the department and accused of involuntary manslaughter, voluntary manslaughter, and reckless endangerment.
They apparently opened fire when a group of teenagers present at the high school football game started shooting each other after an argument.
In November 2022, they pled guilty to ten charges each of reckless endangerment. As a result of the plea deals, the accusations of manslaughter and involuntary manslaughter were dropped, and the ex-cops were given a sentence of five years in probation in May.
The Fanta Bility Foundation, which would also serve to honor Fanta's legacy and perform charitable work, has among its objectives the goal of boosting police training on the use of firearms.