Detroit, Michigan – A Michigan mother is facing murder and child abuse charges after prosecutors alleged she beat her 14-year-old autistic daughter to death because she no longer wanted to care for her and wanted to pursue a relationship with her boyfriend.
Incident Overview
Vangie Renee Averhart, 37, is accused in the death of her daughter, Kylee Clark, who died at a hospital days after suffering catastrophic head injuries in July. Authorities say the abuse occurred inside their Detroit home on July 7, and a judge has now ruled there is enough evidence for the case to proceed to trial.
What Happened on July 7
According to courtroom testimony reported by The Detroit News, Averhart’s boyfriend told the court he left the mother and child alone for approximately 10 minutes before hearing Averhart scream for help.
When he returned, he found Kylee in visible distress and “making a noise.” He testified that he removed food from the teen’s mouth and attempted CPR before emergency responders arrived. Kylee was transported to a hospital, where she died five days later.
Medical Findings Presented in Court
Dr. Marcus DeGraw, a child abuse pediatrician, testified that Kylee’s injuries were not consistent with choking, as initially claimed.
“She suffered a massive, significant intracranial injury that ultimately led to her death,” DeGraw testified. “She had significant, direct blunt force trauma to the head … probably from multiple, direct blunt force blows. It would take a significant amount of force to cause these types of injuries.”…