“I think she really killed her;” 81-year-old woman died after her 61-year-old daughter she had an argument with “flew into a rage” and gave her 20 units of unprescribed insulin; daughter pleads guilty
West Virginia – In a deeply unsettling case out of West Virginia, a 61-year-old woman, identified as Kelly M. has pleaded guilty to killing her 81-year-old mother, identified as Ethel M., with a fatal dose of insulin. Kelly admitted in court she gave her elderly mother 20 units of unprescribed insulin following a heated argument. The dosage sent the frail woman—who had recently undergone hip surgery—into insulin shock, ultimately leading to her death. Originally charged with murder, Kelly pleaded guilty to voluntary manslaughter earlier this month. Under the plea deal, she faces a possible sentence of three to 15 years in prison.
According to reports, Kelly “flew into a rage” during the argument and gave her mother 20 units of insulin, which her mother, while a diabetic, did not have a prescription for, and caused her death. Prosecutors determined that while Kelly’s actions led to her mother’s death, they lacked premeditation or malice. Prosecutor J. Bord explained that weaknesses in the law and the case led to the decision to pursue a lesser charge.“It wasn’t premeditated. It wasn’t done with malice,” he said, adding that West Virginia law doesn’t recognize insulin as a poison, which posed challenges for a murder conviction. Bord also noted that a jury could have opted to convict her only of involuntary manslaughter, which is a misdemeanor.
According to the investigation, the incident took place late on May 25, 2023. Police and paramedics responded to a cardiac arrest call at the apartment the mother and daughter shared. EMTs arrived shortly before midnight and found Ethel deceased in her bed. Her daughter was present at the scene and admitted to administering the fatal dose of insulin. One of the EMTs told police, “I think she really killed her,” raising immediate suspicion. According to a probable cause affidavit, Kelly said her mother’s blood sugar had been high throughout the day, and although Ethel was a diabetic, she did not have a prescription for insulin. Kelly injected her with 20 units from her own supply.
Officers entering the apartment described Kelly as sounding annoyed and emotional while on the phone. She reportedly told a person on the other end, “It’s bad,” and then explained to officers that her mother had multiple health issues, including dementia, arthritis, and heart problems. “That’s why I’m here with her,” she reportedly said, adding that she had been chosen to care for her mother because she was the only unmarried sibling.
Court documents revealed that earlier in the day, Ethel had called one of her daughters in Florida to complain that Kelly wasn’t helping her. That sister then contacted Kelly, “freaking out,” according to the affidavit. Kelly later checked her mother’s blood sugar twice, and both readings were high, prompting her to administer the unprescribed insulin. Despite their shared diabetes diagnoses, Kelly’s dosage was significantly higher than what Ethel’s frail body could tolerate. Kelly, who reportedly weighed more than twice what her mother did, administered 20 units—a decision that ultimately caused fatal insulin shock.
Following the injection and her mother’s death, Kelly reportedly called 911, then later sat in a recliner, sobbing under a blanket while the medical examiner arrived. An autopsy confirmed that Ethel died from insulin shock and officially ruled the death a homicide. Kelly never told her sister about the insulin injection, leading the family to initially believe Ethel died from complications related to her recent hip surgery. It wasn’t until March 2024—after her sister presented a death certificate and spoke to investigators—that the truth emerged. Now awaiting sentencing, Kelly faces up to 15 years in prison. Her sentencing hearing will be scheduled after a pre-sentencing report is completed.
