The House Standing Committee and Families and Children has approved House Bill 574 and sent it to the House Floor, in the name of baby Miya Rudd, who passed away in Ohio County in 2024.
House Bill 574—called Baby Miya’s Law—would require anyone with reasonable knowledge of a child who was born to parents who have other children in the custody of the state or an ongoing dependency, abuse, or neglect case, to report that information to law enforcement. The hope is to spark an investigation into the living situation of the child and lead to providing an emergency custody order for that child to immediately remove them from a dangerous living situation, if necessary.
This comes following the death of an infant by the name of Miya Rudd from Ohio County, where the investigation into her death continues, with multiple arrests made.
A local non-profit had a hand in the creation of Baby Miya’s Law, and Executive Director Heather Gray says they began the discussions for such a law in 2023, before the incident with Miya happened—but the bill at that time failed to move.
Gray says that was disappointing, but when the news about Miya came out from Ohio County, she immediately reached back out to Representative Myron Dossett, who brought it back to the legislature—and it has now passed out of committee.
Gray says she and the others at the Joy Closet and excited to see this gain traction, as it is their goal to advocate for all children across the Commonwealth.
Gray urged people to contact their legislators to show your support for this legislation to pave the way for fast passage.
Representative Dossett says, “When a child is born to parents who already have their children in someone else’s custody due to neglect or abuse, the state should intervene and ensure that the child is safe and cared for. I believe in second chances, but there is no second chance for a child who passes away due to abuse or neglect. We have to put children’s safety first and ensure that the parents are proactively changing their lives for the better before any child, especially a newborn, is returned to their custody.”