TAMPA, Fla. (WFLA) — It was an emotional day in court as the mother of 4-year-old Suni Bell took the witness stand in the murder trial of five men accused in her daughter’s death.

For safety reasons, Bell’s mother asked that her face not be shown. Jurors listened as she cried while recalling the night in August 2021 when her little girl was shot while riding in a car near Hillsborough Avenue. At one point, she broke down mid-testimony, saying, “She just start saying mommy,” before pausing through tears.

Five men are at the center of the case: 34-year-old Zvante Sampson, 32-year-old Quandarious Hammond, 26-year-old Jaylin Bedward, 28-year-old James Denson, and 26-year-old Andrew Thompson. They are charged with first-degree murder and conspiracy to commit murder, among other counts.

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