A West Virginia woman, Kelly Moore, was arrested on Tuesday for allegedly causing the death of her 82-year-old mother, Ethel Moore, by injecting her with insulin in 2023. According to the Grafton Police Department, the incident occurred in May 2023 while Kelly Moore was living with her mother in Grafton.
On May 25, 2023, at approximately 11:50 p.m., police responded to a call regarding a cardiac arrest at 40 Howard Street in Grafton. Upon arrival, they found Ethel Moore deceased. During the investigation, Kelly Moore admitted to injecting her mother with 20 units of insulin, despite the fact that it was not prescribed to her. She stated that her mother’s blood sugar level was at 250 and believed the insulin would help lower it.
Kelly Moore appeared frustrated when speaking to officers, explaining that Ethel Moore had been feeling unwell for a few days following a full hip replacement. She described her mother as having heart problems, arthritis, dementia, and other health issues. When mentioning her mother’s dementia, she appeared irritated and commented that it was the reason she was caring for her.
Police reports indicate that Kelly Moore had been living with her mother for a little over a year before the incident. She told investigators that she had previously lived in Arthurdale but, as the only unmarried sibling, was chosen to stay with Ethel Moore since there was no one else available to care for her. She also mentioned that her mother had complained to another daughter about not receiving enough help, which led to a phone call from Florida expressing concern.
According to court documents, Ethel Moore weighed approximately 130 pounds, while Kelly Moore was listed at 275 pounds. Despite the weight difference, Kelly Moore injected her mother with 20 units of insulin in her shoulder, whereas she typically injected herself with 30 units in the stomach.
An autopsy later confirmed that Ethel Moore’s cause of death was insulin shock and determined the manner of death to be homicide. Police also noted that Kelly Moore’s sister initially believed their mother’s death was related to complications from her hip surgery and had not mentioned anything about an insulin injection.
Kelly Moore was charged with murder and booked into the Tygart Valley Regional Jail without bond.
