West Virginia Code
Article 1. General Provisions and Definitions
§49-1-209. Definitions Related, but Not Limited, to Missing Children

As used in article six of this chapter:
“Child” means an individual under the age of eighteen years who is not emancipated;
“Clearinghouse” means the West Virginia missing children information clearinghouse;
“Custodian” means a parent, guardian, custodian or other person who exercises legal physical control, care or custody of a child;
“Missing child” means a child whose whereabouts are unknown to the child's custodian and the circumstances of whose absence indicate that:
(A) The child did not leave the care and control of the custodian voluntarily and the taking of the child was not authorized by law; or
(B) The child voluntarily left the care and control of his or her custodian without the custodian's consent and without intent to return;
“Missing child report” means information that is:
(A) Given to a law-enforcement agency on a form used for sending information to the national crime information center; and
(B) About a child whose whereabouts are unknown to the reporter and who is alleged in the form submitted by the reporter to be missing;
“Possible match” means the similarities between an unidentified body of a child and a missing child that would lead one to believe they are the same child;
“Reporter” means the person who reports a missing child; and
“State agency” means an agency of the state, political subdivision of the state or public post-secondary educational institution.

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