12/18 6:20 AM PT -- 12/18 -- Vanessa Bryant's mother is responding to her daughter's statement -- saying it's Vanessa who is lying and she has proof.
"For starters, I would like to state that I do not enjoy airing our family grievances in the public," Sofia Laine said.
"Although I filed a lawsuit, I did not make any public comments and was hoping for the court process to run its course without the publicity, as hurtful as it is. I did not want this and do not want this."
She continued, "All I wanted is what I worked for. Vanessa, despite everything that I have been promised and done for her and the family, has attempted to sever all ties and renege on all obligations and agreements."
"Why would she do this to her own mother? I am so disappointed, hurt, and wronged to the point that I had no choice but to file a lawsuit."
"I am nearly 70 years old, my health is deteriorating, and my own daughter is dong this to me?"
Sofia claims she WAS the family nanny for nearly 20 years -- noting, "[Vanessa] drafted and enforced an extremely strict schedule for the round the clock care of my grandchildren. It is simply ridiculous that she would deny this."
Vanessa Bryant is lashing back at her mother -- claiming Sofia Laine only filed a lawsuit against her to "extort a financial windfall from our family."
Laine sued Vanessa earlier this week -- claiming Kobe Bryant had promised to take care of her for the rest of her life ... but after Kobe died in January, Vanessa left her out in the cold.
In her suit, Laine claims she worked as a nanny for Kobe and Vanessa -- and was "forced" to work around the clock for 18 years without proper meal or rest breaks.
Laine claims she was never paid for her work despite taking shifts on holidays and weekends.
She also claims Vanessa ordered her to move out of the home Kobe had allowed her to live in while he was alive.
But, Vanessa says her mom is lying -- saying, "I have supported her for nearly 20 years, and was never my or Kobe's personal assistant, nor was she a nanny."
"I have always been a stay at home mother and my husband and I were my daughter's full-time care givers."
Vanessa continues, "In reality, she only occasionally babysat my older girls when they were toddlers."
"As of ten years ago, our kids were full time students and athletes and I didn't have another child until 2016."
Vanessa says her mom's claims are "obviously false" -- and insists she repeatedly tried to "work things out with my mother" ... to no avail.
She concludes ... "This lawsuit is frivolous, disgraceful, and unimaginably hurtful. My husband never promised my mother anything, and he would be so disappointed in her behavior and lack of empathy."
We're told Sofia is planning to issue a response to Vanessa's statement soon.
Originally Published -- 12/17 9:45 AM PT