Couple’s Lawyer Rebuts Charges in Girl’s Death

Attorneys for a couple charged with murder for allegedly starving their 15-year-old daughter to death insisted in final arguments Monday that the girl succumbed to congenital illness, not starvation.

Lawyers for Michael and Kathleen “Katrina” Gentry rebutted allegations that the couple repeatedly abused and neglected their daughter, Lindsay, for eight years before her death in February 1996.

During the trial, the defense argued that a congenital condition known as myotonic dystrophy--a rare neurological disease similar to muscular dystrophy--contributed to the girl’s death.

The illness, lawyers said, stunted her growth, twisted her spine and left her with severe cataracts. Adding to the problem was marasmus--malnutrition because of severe starvation.

At the time of her death, the Gentry’s daughter was 4 feet, 10 inches tall and weighed only 44 pounds.

Deputy Dist. Atty Kathy Cady said the Gentrys didn’t feed Lindsay, who had to steal food from other children at school. Teachers, Cady said, bought Lindsay snacks.

Defense attorneys Patrick Thomason and David Houchin rejected allegations of neglect and abuse, saying they could not be substantiated. Scores of medical and social workers saw the girl on more than 180 occasions, and the girl was left in the home.

“The law says provide food, shelter and clothing,” said Thomason, the lawyer representing Michael Gentry. “The Gentrys provided food, shelter and clothing.”

“If there were feeding aversion problems . . . you can’t blame the parents,” he said.