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Woman Accused of Killing Teen Boyfriend After Fight Over Cell Phone

By  Jeanmarie Evelly Ben Fractenberg and Wil Cruz | June 6, 2012 9:46am | Updated on June 6, 2012 7:53pm

Franklyn Hernandez, 17, who was allegedly struck and killed by an SUV driven by his girlfriend on June 6, 2012.
Franklyn Hernandez, 17, who was allegedly struck and killed by an SUV driven by his girlfriend on June 6, 2012.
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DNAinfo/Jeanmarie Evelly

THE BRONX — A woman was arrested Wednesday after allegedly running over and killing her teenage boyfriend after a fight over a broken cell phone, Police Commissioner Raymond Kelly said.

Jasmine Diaz, 25, was taken into custody after mowing down Franklyn Hernandez, 17, with her SUV after the drunken fight early Wednesday, Kelly said. She was charged with manslaughter and leaving the scene of an accident, police said.

"They were drinking," Kelly said during a news conference. "They had some sort of a dispute."

Kelly said Diaz stormed out of their Morris Avenue home and hopped into a gold 2003 Lincoln Navigator SUV.

"[She] makes a U-turn and stops the car," he added. "He's standing in front of the car and allegedly [she] floors the engine and runs him down."

Franklin, who relatives said attended Taft High School, was taken to Lincoln Hospital. He was pronounced dead, police said.

After hitting Franklin, Diaz fled the scene in the SUV before authorities arrived.

“She never stopped — she just kept going,” said Franklin’s sister, Nereida Yasmin Santos, 24. “She ran over his whole body. She did it twice. She intentionally did it.”

"I really don't know what was going up through her mind," said Hernandez's mother, Iris Hernandez, through tears. "My son was too good with her. I want her to rot in jail and never come out."

Diaz and Hernandez had been dating for about two years, family said. Santos said family and friends disapproved of the relationship because of the age difference between the two and because Diaz was prone to violent behavior, she said.

“She was very abusive. She used to hit him all the time,” Santos said. “He was in love with her…he was crazy about her. He would do anything for her.”

The youngest of six children, Franklin aspired to attend a trade school to learn how to be a barber, friends and family said.

A group of people gathered outside the boy’s apartment building on Morris Avenue, setting up a memorial of candles around a photo of Hernandez taken at his middle school graduation.

Santos said family and friends disapproved of the relationship because of the age difference between the two and because Diaz was prone to violent behavior, she said.

“She was very abusive. She used to hit him all the time,” Santos said. “He was in love with her…he was crazy about her. He would do anything for her.”

Franklin was the youngest of six children, his family said.

“He never looked for trouble,” said Thalia Olivencia, 15, as she clutched a photo of the boy. She identified Hernandez as her God-brother, and said the two had been close growing up.

“Before he got with that girl, I was always with him,” she said.

“We all told him, ‘She’s not the one for you,’ but he thought he was in love.”