POLK COUNTY, Fla. (WFLA) — A Lakeland mother is outraged after the man charged with her daughter’s murder received what she feels is an insufficient sentence. Cherie Smith has spoken with 8 On Your Side numerous times since her daughter, Angel Snell, was killed by stabbing at a construction site in July 2024.
Snell had a daughter to raise. Al’Honesty is her name. She is now 6 years old.
“She used to take me out to parks,” Al’Honesty said when asked what she remembers about her mother.
It has been slightly over a year since her daughter was fatally stabbed. According to the family, the man deemed responsible accepted a plea deal resulting in a 10-year prison sentence.
“He needs more time in jail because of what he did to my mommy,” Al’Honesty said.
Smith, the grandmother, contacted 8 On Your Side following notification from the state attorney’s office that they were pursuing a plea agreement. At the time, Smith stated she was at a loss for words.
“I think he should have got longer. He wasn’t the victim. My daughter was the victim,” Smith said.
Past reports mentioned that Snell and Kenneth Foresyth were in a dispute when the stabbing occurred. Inquiries were made to the state attorney’s office regarding the sentence length and plea details. They issued a statement saying:
“This crime took place on a site known for narcotics activities involving homeless individuals. The victim and a witness were on the property to use narcotics and encountered the defendant setting a fire. An argument ensued, escalating into a fight where the victim was stabbed. The witness has given varying accounts about who initiated the altercation. Lacking other witnesses or evidence, a plea was negotiated. The victim’s mother alleged involvement by others, not the defendant, yet no evidence or testimony supported this claim.”
“Even if she hit or kicked him, as a man, he should have walked away. He had the option to call the police. He didn’t need to stab her so many times and end her life,” Smith expressed.
8 On Your Side checked court records in this case and asked the state attorney’s office twice to confirm if Foresyth was sentenced and what the sentence for the deal would be but, as of publishing, has not heard back.
