Teen on scooter mowed down by bully who made his life at school so miserable he had to leave
Inset: Mikhail Cuba (Community Funeral Home). Background: The 2800 block of Wakulla Way in Orlando, Florida, where Mikhail, 17, was allegedly hit and killed by a classmate (Google Maps).
A 17-year-old Florida boy is accused of deliberately running over a former classmate with his car after spotting him riding a scooter on a narrow residential street.
According to the Orange County Sheriff’s Office, Elijah Emmans has been charged with first-degree murder in the death of 16-year-old Mikhail Cuba in Orlando. The incident happened on Nov. 20, 2025, along the 2800 block of Wakulla Way, a one-lane neighborhood road without sidewalks that runs alongside a river.
The case was initially investigated by the Florida Highway Patrol as a hit-and-run. At that time, Emmans faced a vehicular manslaughter charge. However, authorities later reviewed surveillance footage that investigators say shows the vehicle striking Mikhail intentionally.
After examining the new evidence, the Orange County Sheriff’s Office took over the investigation and upgraded the charge to first-degree murder. Emmans was arrested Friday and placed in a juvenile detention facility.
Mikhail’s family says the two teens had a troubling history. His grandmother, Ectasy Mooty, told local Fox affiliate WOFL that Emmans had been part of a group of students who bullied Mikhail so severely that he eventually left school and began homeschooling.
Mooty described the suspect as a “really sick individual,” expressing anger and grief during an interview with the station.
Mikhail’s death was followed by another tragedy for the family. Months later, his mother died from an accidental overdose, which Mooty said was linked to the emotional toll of losing her son.
“Being without your child — who was just a child with so much promise — it broke her heart,” Mooty told WOFL.
Despite the losses, she says she intends to seek justice for her grandson and plans to attend every court hearing.
“They’re cowards because they did it from behind. He didn’t see them coming,” Mooty said. “But they’re going to see me coming. They’ll see me every day in court, and I hope it haunts them.”
Mikhail’s obituary remembered him as a thoughtful and generous teenager.
“He was quiet and serious, but those close to him knew his playful and silly side,” the obituary read. “He always went the extra mile for family and friends. No matter the distance, you could count on him to be there.”
Emmans remains in juvenile detention, and it is not yet clear when he will next appear in court.
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