Wilmington, N.C. — Ann Miller Kontz, who admitted to fatally poisoning her husband six years ago, cannot see the couple's daughter while in prison, a judge ruled Thursday.
AIDS researcher Eric Miller was killed in December 2000 after ingesting arsenic. Kontz pleaded guilty five years later to killing him and is now serving a 25-year prison sentence.
Verus and Doris Miller, Eric Miller's parents, asked a judge to block all visitation between Kontz and her 7-year-old daughter, Clare Miller. The Millers also requested that they be given custody of the child, who now lives in Wilmington with Kontz' sister and brother-in-law, Dan and Danielle Wilson.
District Judge Phyllis Gorham last April accepted an agreement to place Clare in the custody of the Wilsons and grant the Millers secondary custody. The Millers frequently travel from their Indiana home to visit their granddaughter in North Carolina.
Gorham ruled Thursday that Kontz should have no visitation rights with Clare, although she said the Wilsons could ask the courts in the future to reverse her decision.
It will be up to the Wilsons, as legal guardians, to decide if Clare can call or write her mother, Gorham ruled. Although they won't have veto power, the Miller family will be informed of any contact Clare has with her mother, the judge said.
Under the ruling, the Miller family also will get 18 days with Clare in the summer, three days after Christmas and three weekends a year with her in North Carolina.
Robert Ponton, an attorney for the Millers, said they were thrilled to obtain court-ordered visitation rights with their granddaughter. They also have the right to talk to her on the phone every Sunday night, he said.
Confessed Killer Denied Visitation With Daughter
- Reporter: Amanda Lamb
- Web Editor: Matthew Burns
Copyright 2009 by Capitol Broadcasting Company. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
38 Comments
-
- Novartis opens first U.S. plant for flu vaccine in N.C.
Updated at 7:28 a.m. | Slideshow |
- ConAgra explosion claims fourth victim
Updated Nov. 23 6:16 p.m. | Slideshow |
- Concern lingers about Tamiflu-resistant H1N1 strain
Updated at 5:46 a.m. |
- Holiday speed enforcement campaign under way
Updated Nov. 23 11:04 p.m. |
- State to review DSS' contact with slain girl's family
Updated Nov. 23 6:55 p.m. |
- Novartis opens first U.S. plant for flu vaccine in N.C.
- Most Viewed Slideshows
- Pet Photos | November 23 - November 29, 2009
Updated 54 minutes ago - Photos: Adam Lambert
Updated Nov. 23 5:03 p.m. - Thousands cheer Palin during Bragg book-signing
Posted Nov. 23 9:13 p.m.
- Pet Photos | November 23 - November 29, 2009
Photo Spotlight
-
Bands, marchers in holiday paradeChoose your group to watch their performance in the 2009 WRAL-TV Raleigh Christmas Parade.
-
Web only: Complete 2009 WRAL-TV Raleigh Christmas ParadeWatch the parade in its entirety from the comfort of your computer any time.
-
Search for missing IRS refundsThe Internal Revenue Service released the names this week of more than 100,000 taxpayers who have not received their 2009 income tax refund.
-
North Carolina unemployment ratesView an interactive map with county unemployment numbers.
-
A year of N.C. Drought MapsView a time lapse animation of drought conditions during the last year.











STORIES
VIDEOS
SLIDESHOWS


Welcome to GOLO, where WRAL.com visitors can comment on stories and create profile pages, blogs and photo galleries.
You must be a registered WRAL.com user to use these tools. Click here to register or log in.