WV HB2638

Mandates courts to initiate criminal charges against parents when a child is removed from their custody and parental rights are terminated due to abuse and neglect under §49-4-604

Criminal charges must be filed at the time the child's custody arrangement is changed

Applicable charges and penalties would follow existing statutes for child abuse resulting in injury (§61-8D-3), child neglect resulting in injury (§61-8D-4), and child abuse or neglect creating risk of injury (§61-8D-5)

Amends existing law that already allows courts to find a person an "abusing parent" when convicted of offenses against children, adding mandatory criminal prosecution to the termination process