The mother of an 18-year-old stabbing victim sat down with News 12 to speak about losing her daughter. 

According to authorities, Tanaya Copeland was stabbed more than 30 times as she walked from a friend's house in East New York nearly two weeks ago. Police found her at the corner of Linwood Street and Stanley Avenue.

Rochelle Copeland says she doesn't understand how anyone could commit such a crime. She says the hours after finding out about her daughter's death were the hardest.

"I just touched her and kissed her and it just hurt to find out how she died. To be stabbed that many times," Copeland told News 12. "How could somebody be so sick?"

She described her daughter's future plans, which included a summer youth job and returning to Long Island University to finish her nursing degree. 

While no arrests have been made in her case, police say they are looking to see if there's any connection between the elevator stabbing of two young children that occurred a few blocks away. Police believe Daniel St. Hubert, 27, killed Prince Joshua Avitto, 6, and badly injured his friend, Mikayla Capers.