A Michigan mother and her son are set to face trial on escalated charges related to the tragic death of 17-year-old London Thomas, who was the son’s girlfriend.

Following a four-hour preliminary hearing on Thursday, Jalen Pendergrass and his mother, 49-year-old Charla Pendergrass, have been formally charged with first-degree murder in connection with Thomas’s demise, according to WXYZ.

Thomas was last witnessed on April 5 at the Carlysle Street residence of Jalen Pendergrass, situated near Inkster Road, CrimeOnline noted. The police, with support from the FBI, later carried out a search of the premises.

Nearly three weeks later, authorities discovered Thomas’s body in a plastic container inside an SUV, acting on a tip from a friend of Charla Pendergrass. The friend reported that Charla had requested him on April 7 to “relocate a sealed plastic bin with unknown items inside,” as revealed by prosecutors.

The police executed a search on April 26, leading to the recovery of Thomas’s remains. An autopsy revealed that asphyxia was the cause of death, with the manner of death being classified as homicide.

The Pendergrasses were charged in October with second degree murder.

A former girlfriend of Pendergrass, Lanyja Wilkerson, testified on Thursday that he sent her a very specific song lyric by rapper NBZ Youngboy after Thomas’s disappearance.

“Put the b**** up in the trunk, her family will never see her again,” Wilkerson said, recounting the lyrics.

Wilkerson further testified that her ex-boyfriend confessed what happened on April 5, telling her two different stories. In the first story, Pendergrass said that Thomas and his mother got into a fight and then he beat Thomas and tired up her up. Then, Wilkerson said, Pendergrass told her his mother told him to “get angry” and “to kill her.”

Wilkerson also testified that Jalen Pendergrass later confessed to her about the night of April 5. She said he told her two different stories, and in the first story he said Thomas and his mother got into a physical fight at his home, after which he beat Thomas and tied her up.

He told me that he pulled her out the bed, he stood her up, grabbed a belt and choked her until she fell,” she said.

After the hearing, Thomas’s mother, Jasma Bennett, called the upgraded charges “one small step toward justice for London and our family.”

The Pendergrasses will now be tried on the new charges.