Mother of 22-year-old stabbed to death mourns as father makes first court appearance

CLEARWATER, Fla. - The father accused of fatally stabbing his daughter while he fought with her boyfriend made his first court appearance Tuesday on a manslaughter charge.

A judge ordered Laurence Green be held on $20,000 bond. At the same time, his ex-wife and mother of his daughter, Sidney Green, spent the day going through her belongings at her apartment in Clearwater.

"I don't think that's really hit us," said Misty Green, who drove down from Illinois after learning about her daughter's death. "It's never going to be the same because pieces of my heart are missing and they can never be put back. So it's just trying to be there for everyone and that's what family does."

According to police, Laurence Green was fighting with Sidney's boyfriend Sunday at her apartment at Bay Cove Apartments on U.S. 19. Police spokesperson Rob Shaw said Sidney, 22, tried to intervene and was stabbed by her father.

"He did not intend to stab her or kill her, but he contributed to her death," Shaw said, explaining the manslaughter charge.

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"I know my ex-husband," Misty added. "Yes, he can be difficult at times, but it's hard for me to think that he would intentionally kill our child."

Unfortunately, heartache is not a new feeling for the grieving mom. Her 28-year-old daughter, Gabby Coniglione, died earlier this year from COVID-19.

Misty said she's trying to raise enough money to be able to take Sidney back home to Illinois, so she can be buried alongside her sister. Meantime, she said she'll miss her daughter's frequent phone calls the most.

"The first thing that she would do when she would call would be [to say], 'Hello, beautiful,'" Misty said. "That's something that I'm never going to get to hear again. I talked to her at 10:59 that morning on Mother's Day and that's the phone call that I got was, 'Well, hello, beautiful! Happy Mother's Day!'" And that's the last call and the last time that I got to hear her."

In lieu of flowers, Misty is asking for donations to be made to Veterans Funeral Care in Clearwater.