In Michigan, a 49-year-old mother and her 24-year-old son will face upgraded charges in the death of a teenager, as they prepare to stand trial. Charla Pendergrass and her son Jalen Pendergrass are accused of murdering Jalen’s 17-year-old girlfriend, London Thomas, last year and subsequently attempting to conceal their crime.

Last week, Inkster District Judge Sabrina Johnson elevated the charges against both Charla and Jalen to first-degree murder. Previously, the pair faced charges of second-degree murder alongside accusations of tampering with evidence. In a new development, Judge Johnson also added a charge of unlawful imprisonment for both defendants, according to a report by Detroit’s ABC affiliate, WXYZ.

The decision to escalate the charges follows a testimony from one of Jalen Pendergrass’ former girlfriends. She revealed that after Thomas vanished, Jalen sent her a message containing lyrics from a song by NBA Youngboy, ominously stating, “Put the b— up in the trunk, her family will never see her again.”

Tragically, police later found Thomas’ body inside a plastic container in the trunk of an SUV, confirming the chilling message’s implication.

Further testimony from the former girlfriend revealed that Jalen had admitted to the murder. He allegedly confessed that after Thomas got into a physical altercation with his mother, he assaulted her and then restrained her, leading to the tragic events that unfolded.

The former girlfriend also told the court that Jalen Pendergrass confessed to the murder, saying that after Thomas got into a physical confrontation with his mother, he beat her and then tied her up.

According to the former girlfriend, Charla Pendergrass then told her son to “get angry” and to “kill her.”

“He told me that he pulled her out the bed, he stood her up, grabbed a belt and choked her until she fell,” the former girlfriend reportedly testified.

As Law&Crime previously reported, Thomas was last seen alive around 4 a.m. on April 5, 2025, as she was being dropped off at Jalen Pendergrass’ residence in the 27000 block of Carlysle Street in Inkster, Michigan, about 15 miles west of Detroit.

Members of Thomas’ family reported her missing several times over the following days as authorities began searching for her.

Nearly a month later, authorities received a call from an individual claiming to be Charla Pendergrass’ friend, who claimed Charla Pendergrass contacted him on April 6, 2025, asking if he could help her move a plastic bin that was “sealed” with “unknown contents” inside, Detroit Fox affiliate WJBK reported.

The friend reportedly agreed, and on April 11, assisted Charla Pendergrass in moving the container to a home on Millard Street in Southfield, Michigan. The friend testified that Charla Pendergrass told him “to get rid of it — to burn it.” However, suspicious about the contents of the bin, the friend left it in the trunk of his SUV. He later contacted police through an attorney and notified them about the bin and the vehicle’s location.

Authorities on April 26, 2025, recovered the bin from an SUV parked outside of the Millard Street home. They found Thomas’ remains inside. A medical examiner later determined that Thomas’ manner of death was a homicide and the cause of death was asphyxiation.

The mother and son remain in custody at the Wayne County Jail and are scheduled to make their next court appearance on Jan. 30.