Mom charged in death of starved teen daughter who weighed 35 pounds and had “sunken eyes”

A woman from North Carolina has been charged with murder after the horrific death of her teen daughter, who weighed 35 pounds and had “sunken eyes” after years of starvation.

Mother Kymberli Bowden, 45, was slapped with a first-degree murder charge Thursday after an autopsy on her 13-year-old daughter, identified only as ZT, found the cause of death was acute necrotizing pneumonia and inanition – or severe malnutrition and physical wasting, FOX 8 News reported.

The child’s body was found in Bowden’s home on Oct. 14, 2025, and she had already been dead for about two days, authorities said.

“The medical examiner described ZT as extremely emaciated. Her hair was matted, dulled, and dirty. Her ears were dirty. Her face was gaunt, and the areas around her eyes were sunken,” the prosecution told FOX 8 News.

In court, ZT’s body was described as “skinny” and “small” with the prosecution noting that the teen normally weighed between 63 and 65 pounds in recent doctor documentation.

Patrol officers were called to the bad mom’s High Point home last year after family members said they hadn’t seen ZT in months. Police found her 13-year-old twin brother still alive in the house, police said.

The boy did not have access to proper nutrition, clothing, or sanitary living conditions when authorities found him, according to a warrant obtained by The News Observer.

He survived but has suffered “serious” psychological harm.

High Point Police Department call logs show a handful of concerned neighbors asking cops to check in on the children inside the home, FOX 8 News reported.

Police reports described the inside of the home as filled with trash and rotten food.

Bowden, 45, was immediately charged with two counts of felony child abuse and concealing a death, police said.

The murder charge was only filed in recent days as authorities awaited a final cause of death, according to reports.

She could face life in prison on the murder charge.

Her next court date is in December.