Cyntoia Brown was sentenced for life for the murder of a Nashville man. Brown’s story is becoming rekindled after spending over a decade in jail. Sentenced to life at age 16; Brown is now 29 years old. According to a juvenile psychiatrist, Brown suffered from Fetal Alcohol Syndrome, when there is an excessive consumption of alcohol from the mother during her pregnancy. She also grew up in an abusive home and ran away from her adopted parents’ home. After that she became involved in prostitution in Nashville.

When Brown was 16-years-old she met a man who called himself “Cut Throat” who then began to physically and sexually abuse her and also forced her into prostitution. One night 43-year-old Johnny Mitchell Allen picked her up near a Sonic parking lot and took her back to his place. Brown started to resist him when he made advances towards her and reached under his bed. At that moment Brown decided to pull out her gun from her purse and shoot Johnny Allen.

Brown was then tried as an adult at 16 and convicted of first degree murder, first degree felony murder, and aggravated robbery. Court said Cyntoia’s case was not self-defense but robbery because after killing him she took Johnny’s wallet. The convictions carried current life sentences and eight additional years. Cyntoia will be eligible for parole at 69-years-old.

Now celebrities such as Rihanna, Kim Kardashian-West, Cara Delevigne, and more are standing up for Cyntoia Brown and trying to justify and send their help the most they can using the hashtag #FreeCyntoiaBrown.