UNITED STATES NEWS

Mother, grandparents indicted in death of emaciated West Virginia girl

Sep 17, 2024, 3:46 PM | Updated: 3:52 pm

CHARLESTON, W.Va. (AP) — A grand jury on Tuesday returned an indictment on a murder charge against the mother and two grandparents of a 14-year-old West Virginia girl whose emaciated body was found in her home.

The body of Kyneddi Miller was found in April in the Boone County community of Morrisvale. Her case prompted a state investigation into whether law enforcement and child protective services could have intervened to prevent her death.

Deputies responding to a report of a death at the home found the girl in a bathroom and said her body was “emaciated to a skeletal state,” according to a criminal complaint filed in Boone County Magistrate Court.

The complaint said the teen had an eating disorder that led to “overwhelmingly visible conditions” and physical problems, but the mother had not sought medical care for her in at least four years. Miller was being homeschooled at the time.

Felony child neglect charges initially were filed against the girl’s mother, Julie Miller, and grandparents Donna and Jerry Stone.

On Tuesday, the grand jury indicted them on charges of murder of a child by parent, guardian or custodian by failure or refusal to supply necessities, and child neglect resulting in death, Boone County Prosecutor Dan Holstein said.

An arraignment hearing has been scheduled for Oct. 18. It wasn’t immediately clear whether the three defendants had attorneys. Holstein said a copy of the indictment wouldn’t be made available to the public until Wednesday.

Brian Abraham, Gov. Jim Justice’s chief of staff, has said state police were summoned to check on the girl at her home in March 2023 but found no indication that she had been abused. A trooper then made an informal suggestion to the local human services office that she might have needed mental health resources.

But no follow-up checks were made, according to Abraham. The trooper indicated that Miller had appeared healthy to him but she said anxiety about being around people due to COVID-19 caused her not to want to leave her home.

Justice, a Republican, has called Miller’s death tragic and said she “fell through the cracks.”

The state Department of Human Services now requires potential abuse and neglect cases to be referred to an intake telephone number so they can be formally documented. Such referral requirements are now part of training at state police academy events, Abraham said.

Under state code, parents of homeschooled students are required to conduct annual academic assessments, but they only have to submit them to the state after the third, fifth, eighth and 11th grades. Failure to report assessments can result in a child being terminated from the homeschool program and a county taking truancy action, according to Abraham.

State Sen. Patricia Rucker, who is a Jefferson County Republican and a former public school teacher who homeschooled her five children, has said blaming homeschooling laws in the girl’s death “is misguided and injust, casting unwarranted aspersions on a population that overwhelmingly performs well.”

Rucker said the child protective services system is “overworked and underfunded” and state leaders “are resorting to blame-shifting and scapegoating homeschooling laws rather than addressing the real causes.”

House Democrats have pushed unsuccessfully for a bill that would pause or potentially deny a parent’s request to homeschool if a teacher has reported suspected child abuse: “Raylee’s Law” is named for an 8-year-old girl who died of abuse and neglect in 2018 after her parents withdrew her from school. Educators at her elementary school had notified Child Protective Services of potential abuse.

Republicans control both chambers of the Legislature.

United States News

President of the Westminster Kennel Club Donald Sturz shows Fiona, his pet pekingese, during an int...

Associated Press

What makes a dog a winner? A Westminster Kennel Club judge explains

NEW YORK (AP) — The competitors can come in forms as different as a Chihuahua, a great Dane, a bulldog and a greyhound. Each one is a champion. So how is a judge to decide which dog is the best in show at the Westminster Kennel Club competition? To the casual viewer, it might be […]

50 minutes ago

FILE - People walk past the John Harvard statue on the campus of Harvard University in Cambridge, M...

Associated Press

House Republicans mull taxes on scholarships and changes to student loan programs

As Republicans in Congress look for ways to slash spending, some legislators are floating new taxes on college scholarships, an end to student loan repayment plans and a big hike in taxes on university endowments. The ideas affecting higher education are among many in circulation among House committees that are exploring ways to cover the […]

53 minutes ago

FILE - Professional surfers make their way to the water while a large rainbow crosses the ocean dur...

Associated Press

Hawaii is the rainbow capital of the world. Here’s what that means

HONOLULU (AP) — Hawaii’s regular sunshine, short rain showers and clean air come together to create some of the planet’s best conditions for viewing rainbows. They’re such a frequent sight that a University of Hawaii professor calls the state the “rainbow capital of the world.” Right now it’s the winter rainy season in the islands, […]

55 minutes ago

Vicky Lazo, a teacher with Southwest Miami Senior High School, speaks Tuesday, Jan. 28, 2025, in Mi...

Associated Press

Latino workers working to overcome a technological divide brought on by automation, AI

As jobs become more reliant on technology some Latino workers can be left behind due to a lack of digital skills exacerbated by a lack of accessibility. Latinos remain an integral part of jobs in agriculture, construction, retail and food services but these jobs are also at risk of automation, leaving some Latinos unprepared for […]

56 minutes ago

Associated Press

Drug lord’s son-in-law pleads guilty in border price-fixing scheme

McALLEN, Texas (AP) — The son-in-law of a Mexican drug lord pleaded guilty this week to a scheme that used violence and threats to fix prices and control the transnational used-car market at the U.S.-Mexico border. Carlos Favian Martinez, son-in-law to former Gulf Cartel drug lord, Osiel Cárdenas Guillén, entered a guilty plea before a […]

6 hours ago

Associated Press

Avian flu suspected in up to 15 bird deaths at New York City zoos

NEW YORK (AP) — At least three and possibly up to 15 birds have died of avian flu at two New York City zoos, according to the organization that operates the facilities. The Wildlife Conservation Society said three ducks at the Queens Zoo died after contracting the virus, and lab tests are pending on three […]

8 hours ago

Sponsored Articles

...

Collins Comfort Masters

Collins Comfort Masters: Your go-to plumbing experts in Arizona

Collins Comfort Masters, a trusted name in HVAC, water and plumbing since 1985, is you go-to plumbers for the residents of Phoenix and the Valley.

...

Sanderson Ford

Sanderson Ford’s Operation Santa Claus: Spreading holiday cheer through pickleball

Phoenix, AZ – Sanderson Ford, a staple in the Arizona community, is once again gearing up for its annual Operation Santa Claus charity drive.

...

Schwartz Laser Eye Center

Don’t miss the action with this game-changing procedure

PHOENIX -- The clear lens exchange procedure has emerged as a popular alternative to LASIK eye surgery.

Mother, grandparents indicted in death of emaciated West Virginia girl