A Michigan woman is behind bars after she allegedly beat her 14-year-old, non-verbal, daughter with autism because she "didn't want this child anymore."
Vangie Renee Averhart, 37, stands accused of murder over the death of Kylee Clark, who died at a Detroit-area hospital in July, according to court records.
Averhart First Claimed the Child Choked on Food, Before Pinning the Blame on Her Boyfriend
Kylee's cause of death was determined as blunt force trauma to the back of the head with an impact that prosecutors described as akin to being involved in a high-speed car crash.
During the investigation, Averhart reportedly gave multiple accounts of how her daughter sustained her injuries, none of which made much sense. First, she claimed the girl choked on a sandwich, then on a banana. She also pointed the finger at her boyfriend but he passed a lie detector test and was not around at the time of the incident.
Prosecutors reportedly said Kylee lived in a locked room. Her mother allegedly told others that she "didn't want this child anymore."
Averhart Previously Investigated by CPS Over Concerns About Kylee's Safety
Child Protective Services had previously investigated Averhart on several occasions over concerns for Kylee's safety.
Kylee's family members told that she suffered the injuries at her home on July 7 and died five days later at a hospital. "Kylee's mother lied right from the get-go about pretty much everything. She's just rotten," her paternal great-uncle Jeffrey Clark told the outlet. "I mean, it's her own flesh and blood."
Clark also said Kylee's father had been trying to obtain custody of the girl in the months leading up to the alleged murder. "And supposedly she said 'you can have her, I don't want her,'" Clark recalled. "[It's] hard to fathom. I don't know if it's some vindictive thing on her part or if she's just pure evil."
Averhart remains in the Wayne County Jail without bond. Her next court date is scheduled for Nov. 26.
