The incident was back on June 29 when deputies responded with EMS to 40 Theresa Boulevard, Town of Chenango, for a report of a 23-year-old who was not breathing. Deputies assisted in performing CPR on the victim, Kayla Kunkel. Kayla was taken to UHS Wilson Hospital, where she later died.
An investigation by the Broome County Sheriff’s Office determined that Kayla had been living with autism and had not been capable of caring for herself. Kayla’s death was found to be a result of inadequate guardianship.
The investigation also revealed that 2 children in the residence were subjected to unsafe and grossly unsanitary living conditions.
After a lengthy investigation, the case was presented to a Grand Jury by the Broome County District Attorney’s Office, and the suspects, Renee Kunkel (56) and Edward Kunkel (61) were each indicted on the following charges:
Manslaughter in the 2nd Degree, a Class C Felony
Endangering the Welfare of an Incompetent or Physically Disabled Person in the 1st Degree, a Class A Felony
2 Counts of Endangering the Welfare of a Child, a Class A Misdemeanor
