Grandmother Convicted After Teen's Starvation Death at Home

Relatives said they had gone years without seeing Kyneddi Miller and were reassured she was fine. A West Virginia jury has now convicted her grandmother in the teenager’s starvation death.

Donna Stone was found guilty October 19 of murder by failure to provide necessities and child neglect resulting in death. The next day, the Boone County jury recommended mercy.

Kyneddi was 14 when she died at the family’s Morrisvale home on April 17, 2024. Trial testimony traced how she became increasingly isolated while relatives outside the household tried to learn whether she was safe.

A Father and Cousin Tried to Check

Kyneddi’s father, Terry Miller, testified that he had not seen his daughter in four years despite efforts to reach her. According to WCHS, he said Stone told him Kyneddi was healthy but did not want to see anyone.

A cousin, Cassie Stone, also described concerns about losing contact. She testified that she had not physically seen Kyneddi since 2020 and eventually asked law enforcement to conduct a well-child check.

The teenager had been withdrawn from public school in 2021 for homeschooling. Witnesses described a child who rarely appeared outside and whose bedroom windows were covered.

A former state trooper testified about a March 2023 welfare check. His account of seeing and speaking with Kyneddi was examined during the trial, alongside relatives’ continuing concerns about her isolation.

The Decision Not to Seek Treatment

Prosecutors argued that Stone had taken on a caregiver’s responsibilities and failed to obtain the food and medical attention Kyneddi needed. The state did not have to prove that she disliked her granddaughter to establish criminal neglect, the prosecutor argued.

The defense countered that Kyneddi’s mother, Julie Miller, controlled her daughter’s medical decisions. Stone’s lawyers also pointed to the grandmother’s 911 call and efforts to get emergency help as evidence that she wanted the girl to survive.

Julie Miller testified during the six-day trial. She acknowledged that Kyneddi needed medical attention but described delaying a trip to the hospital because she believed the girl had improved.

The jurors heard her account of planning to seek treatment after Kyneddi slept. The girl did not wake up.

Another Family Member Was Already in Prison

Julie Miller had previously pleaded guilty in the case and was sentenced in February to 15 years to life.

Kyneddi’s grandfather, Jerry Stone, was found incompetent to stand trial in separate proceedings. That finding concerns his ability to participate in a trial and is not a conviction.

At Julie Miller’s sentencing, Kyneddi’s older sister described the loss of a child she believed would have made a difference to others.

A Verdict Followed by Mercy

The jury’s mercy recommendation preserves parole eligibility after 15 years on the murder count, according to local court reporting. It does not guarantee release.

Stone’s sentencing is scheduled for December 8 at 2 p.m., when the judge must impose the sentence and address the additional conviction.

References: Grandmother found guilty of all charges in death of Kyneddi Miller; jury recommends mercy | Boone County woman convicted on both charges for 14-year-old granddaughter’s starvation death in 2024 | Boone County jury grants mercy to grandmother convicted in April 2024 child starvation death | Mother of Boone County girl found dead in ‘skeletal state’ sentenced to prison

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