Lawyer for mother denies teen died being denied medical care

ORANGEBURG, S.C. (AP) – Authorities say a South Carolina mother killed her 16-year-old daughter by withholding medical care to her during her life.

But a lawyer for 32-year-old Kynika Green says the woman’s daughter had serious medical problems, wasn’t expected to live past age 1 and an autopsy showed the teen died of natural causes.

Green was charged this month in Orangeburg County with murder in the April 30 death of T’Kia Smith. The teen’s grandmother 64-year-old Dasie Green is charged with neglect.

The Times and Democrat of Orangeburg said an arrest warrant accused Green of withholding medical care for her daughter from Nov. 22, 2002 – her date of birth – until her death on April 30, 2019. Defense attorney Lawrence Keitt says the teen was misdiagnosed during her life by her doctors.