NC mother charged in child’s death appears in court

HIGH POINT, N.C. (WGHP) – A High Point mother faced a judge for the first time on Friday.

She is facing charges for felony child abuse and concealing the death of her 13-year-old daughter.

High Point police said officers found the girl dead inside a home on East Farriss Avenue earlier this month, along with her twin brother, who survived.

Kymberli Bowden appeared in court virtually from jail.

The judge read through her felony charges while prosecutors outlined what they say officers found inside that home.

“You have two class h felonies. Neglect, child abuse, bodily injury. You have two counts of that. Each carries 88 months maximum sentence. You also have a failure to report the death of a child. That’s a class h that carries 39 months maximum sentence,” said Judge Caroline Tomlinson-Pemberton.

Police were called to Bowden’s East Farriss Avenue home on Oct. 13, responding to a 911 call.

Inside, her daughter was found dead, and her daughter’s twin brother was alive.

“The conditions of the house were unsanitary,” the prosecutor said.

Court documents show the home was filled with trash and rotting food.

In court, the prosecution shared new details on what else was found inside the home

“Officers also noticed inside of the residence that there was a gas stove and appeared that there was a danger … that residence actually causing some type of toxication from the gas stove, but it wasn’t properly lit,” the prosecutor said.

They said officers found Bowden unresponsive inside the home. Bowden was arrested and charged on Oct. 30.

“She was not only the mother of these two kids, but she was also a certified nursing assistant. So she was supposed to provide care not only as the mother, but as the CNA. She was being provided money for that particular role,” the prosecutor said.

Bowden was appointed a public defender.

In court, prosecutors said they are still waiting on autopsy results, and more charges could come as the investigation continues.

The judge decided that the court did not have sufficient information at this time to change Bowden’s bond. It remains set at $1 million.