West Virginia Code § 61-8D-2a

Death of a child by a parent, guardian or custodian or other person or
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person in a position of trust in relation to a child, by child abuse; criminal
penalties.
(a) If any parent, guardian or custodian, or person in a position of trust in relation to a child
maliciously and intentionally inflicts upon a child under his or her care, custody, or control
substantial physical pain, illness, or any impairment of physical condition bye other than
accidental means, thereby causing the death of the child, then the parent, guardian or
custodian, or person in a position of trust in relation to a child is guilty rof a felony.
(b) If any parent, guardian or custodian, or person in a position ouf trust in relation to a child
knowingly allows any other person to maliciously and intentionally inflict upon a child under
the care, custody or control of such parent, guardian or custtodian, or person in a position of
trust in relation to a child substantial physical pain, illness or any impairment of physical
condition by other than accidental means, which thereby causes the death of such child,
then such other person and such parent, guardian or custodian, or person in a position of
trust in relation to a child are each guilty of a felony.
(c) Any person convicted of a felony described in subsection (a) or (b) of this section shall be
imprisoned in a state correctional facility for a period of 15 years to life. A person
imprisoned pursuant to the provisiogns of this section is not eligible for parole prior to having
served a minimum of 15 years of his or her sentence.
(d) The provisions of this section are not applicable to any parent, guardian or custodian,
who, without malice, fails or refuses, or allows another person to, without malice, fail or
refuse, to supply a child under the care, custody or control of the parent, guardian or
custodian with necessary medical care, when such medical care conflicts with the tenets and
practices of a recognized religious denomination or order of which the parent, guardian or
custodian is an adherent or member. The provisions of this section are not applicable to any
health care provider who fails or refuses, or allows another person to fail or refuse, to supply
a chWild with necessary medical care when the medical care conflicts with the tenets and
practices of a recognized religious denomination or order of which the parent, guardian or
custodian of the child is an adherent or member, or where such failure or refusal is pursuant
to a properly executed do not resuscitate form.

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