July 21st, 2025 by WCBC Radio

A new West Virginia law, in effect this month, increases penalties for people convicted of child abuse including increasing prison time up to ten years for any parent, guardian or caregiver convicted of inflicting bodily harm on a child. The state saw nearly five-thousand confirmed cases of child abuse in 2023, says Jim McKay with the group Prevent Child Abuse West Virginia…

 

"West Virginia actually has more child abuse reports than any other state. It's about one in seven children are reported to CPS each year, which tells us that a lot of families in West Virginia are under serious stress."