Grandparents of Boone County girl found in 'skeletal state' arrested, charged Monday

BOONE COUNTY, W.Va. (WCHS) — The grandparents of a 14-year-old Boone County girl who was found in a “skeletal state” have been charged in the investigation.

Jerry, 75, and Donna Stone, 76, were taken into custody Monday morning by the Boone County Sheriff’s Office and charged with child neglect causing death.

A criminal complaint filed Monday alleges the Stones failed to “exercise a minimum degree of care” to assure the 14-year-old’s safety.

The arrests come a little more than a month after Kyneddi Miller, 14, was found “emaciated to a skeletal state” on April 17 in a home shared by the child, the child's mother,Julie Anne Stone Miller, 49, and the grandparents.

Julie Millerwas arrested and charged with child neglect causing deathin April. Her case was sent to a grand jury.

According to a criminal complaint filed in Boone County Magistrate Court in April, deputies responded to a death call in the 400 block of Cameo Road in Morrisvale. Deputies said when they arrived at the home, the girl, later identified as Kyneddi Miller, was on a bathroom floor and on a foam pad.

Investigators said the girl's grandmother was interviewed as part of the investigation. The grandmother told deputies that the girl had not attended school since late 2019 or early 2020 and had only been outside the house possibly two times in the last four years.

The complaint also noted that she had an eating disorder for several years and her "appearance was shocking with an obvious emaciated, skeletal state."

The child's grandmother also told deputies that the girl had not been able to function on her own for four to five days due to her physical state and had not been eating for months, according to the complaint.

It's also alleged her health had been deteriorating for months or even years. Family members said concerns about Kyneddi’s well-being were reported.

Eyewitness News received documents through the Freedom of Information Act confirming Kyneddi Miller started homeschooling in February 2021 at the request of her mother. In an email to Boone County Schools, Julie said Kyneddi had older grandparents living with them and had concerns about exposure to COVID-19.

Though Gov. Jim Justice initially said Child Protective Services did not know about Miller, he later said he was provided wrong information.

The West Virginia Department of Human Services, which oversees Child Protective Services, called the death a tragedy but said it could not discuss details of the case.

Documents later acquired by Eyewitness News confirmed that CPS knew about Kyneddi Miller more than a year before her death.

During a welfare check in March 2023, West Virginia State Police said Miller appeared to be OK and referred the case to CPS for follow-ups.

Julie Miller remains held on a $250,000 bond. The Stones' bonds were set at $25,000.