MADISON, W.Va. — A Boone County circuit judge has for a second time denied to lower the $250,000 cash only bond for a mother charged in connection with the high-profile death of her 14-year-old daughter.
Circuit Judge Judge Stacy Nowicki-Eldridge refused to lower bond for Julie Miller following a hearing that took place Friday afternoon in Madison.
Miller, 49, of Morrisvale, was charged with felony child neglect resulting in death following the April death of her teenage daughter. Kyneddi Miller was found emaciated and in a skeletal state.
Miller’s attorneys argued for a lower bond Friday saying their client’s bond is much higher than $25,000 property bond placed on her parents who were arrested on the same charges in the same case. They’ve both posted bond.
Ronald Walters, Jr., one of Miller’s attorneys told the judge $250,000 cash is unattainable for his client.
“Essentially, it might as well be a million dollars,” referring to the high cash-only bond in place,” Walters said, according to a report posted by WCHS-TV.
Boone County Prosecutor Dan Holstein successfully argued the higher bond should stay in place. He said nothing has changed since the first time Miller requested a reduction with the exception of the completion of the autopsy report.
“The results of that are there weren’t any surprises. The medical examiner has opined that her death was a result of prolonged malnourishment,” Holstein said. “What that tells me, is that with respect to the one factor that the court will have to consider, which is the strength of the state’s case, it has gotten stronger.”