WAYNE COUNTY, MI - A woman has been charged with murder after allegedly beating her 14-year-old daughter with autism because she "didn't want this child anymore."
The mom, 37-year-old Vangie Renee Averhart is accused of murdering her daughter, Kylee Clark, who died at a Detroit-area hospital back in July, Law & Crime reported. Kylee died from blunt force trauma to the back of the head which prosecutors described as akin to being involved in a high-speed car crash.
The mom gave multiple accounts of how her daughter sustained the injuries, but none of them made sense, according to authorities. First, she claimed the young girl choked on a sandwich, then on a banana. She also claimed her boyfriend did it, but he passed a lie detector test and was not around at the time of the incident.
Prosecutors said that Kylee, who is nonverbal, lived in a locked room. The mother allegedly told others that she "didn't want this child anymore." Child Protective Services had previously investigated Averhart on several occasions over concerns for Kylee's safety and wellbeing.
Family members told WDIV that Kylee suffered the injuries at her home on July 7 and died five days later at a hospital. Kylee was still alive when she was brought to the hospital, and doctors had to remove a portion of her skull due to the swelling.
The family had Kylee on life support for several days, but she never woke up. "Kylee's mother lied right from the get-go about pretty much everything. She's just rotten," said Kylee's great-uncle, Jeffery Clark. "I mean, it's her own flesh and blood."
Kylee was diagnosed with Cornelia de Lange syndrome and relied entirely on caregivers, according to her family. She was small for her age and weighed about 60 pounds. "She was just a happy little girl. She loved the simple things," Clark said. "She was always smiling."
Clark said that Kylee's father had been trying to obtain custody over the summer and had grown increasingly worried about Kylee's wellbeing. "This happened right after he informed [Vangie] of that," Clark said. "[Vangie] said, 'You can have her. I don't want her.'"
Averhart remains in the Wayne County Jail without bond. Her next court date is scheduled for November 26. She's been charged with murder and first-degree child abuse in connection with Kylee's death. Averhart faces up to life in prison.
The mom, 37-year-old Vangie Renee Averhart is accused of murdering her daughter, Kylee Clark, who died at a Detroit-area hospital back in July, Law & Crime reported. Kylee died from blunt force trauma to the back of the head which prosecutors described as akin to being involved in a high-speed car crash.
The mom gave multiple accounts of how her daughter sustained the injuries, but none of them made sense, according to authorities. First, she claimed the young girl choked on a sandwich, then on a banana. She also claimed her boyfriend did it, but he passed a lie detector test and was not around at the time of the incident.
Prosecutors said that Kylee, who is nonverbal, lived in a locked room. The mother allegedly told others that she "didn't want this child anymore." Child Protective Services had previously investigated Averhart on several occasions over concerns for Kylee's safety and wellbeing.
Family members told WDIV that Kylee suffered the injuries at her home on July 7 and died five days later at a hospital. Kylee was still alive when she was brought to the hospital, and doctors had to remove a portion of her skull due to the swelling.
The family had Kylee on life support for several days, but she never woke up. "Kylee's mother lied right from the get-go about pretty much everything. She's just rotten," said Kylee's great-uncle, Jeffery Clark. "I mean, it's her own flesh and blood."
Kylee was diagnosed with Cornelia de Lange syndrome and relied entirely on caregivers, according to her family. She was small for her age and weighed about 60 pounds. "She was just a happy little girl. She loved the simple things," Clark said. "She was always smiling."
Clark said that Kylee's father had been trying to obtain custody over the summer and had grown increasingly worried about Kylee's wellbeing. "This happened right after he informed [Vangie] of that," Clark said. "[Vangie] said, 'You can have her. I don't want her.'"
Averhart remains in the Wayne County Jail without bond. Her next court date is scheduled for November 26. She's been charged with murder and first-degree child abuse in connection with Kylee's death. Averhart faces up to life in prison.
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