West Virginia
W.Va. Senator calls for CPS reform after death of 11-year-old girl from Taylor County
CHARLESTON, W.Va. (WCHS) — A West Virginia lawmaker from Taylor County delivered a pointed speech on the Senate floor Tuesday, calling for sweeping reform of Child Protective Services following the death of 11-year-old Miana Moran — a case that has raised more questions about the state’s child welfare system.
Sen. Jay Taylor (R-Taylor) opened his remarks by holding up a photograph of Miana, urging lawmakers to see her not as a statistic or a case number, but as a child who “deserved protection.”
The child died Feb. 16, 2025. She weighed 43 pounds at her autopsy, according to investigators.
Miana Moran, 11, died Feb. 16, 2025. Her father and primary custodian have recently been indicted on murder charges after prosecutors alleged she was not provided with any medical care for years and used food deprivation as a form of punishment. (Courtesy Photo)
Her measurements were “grossly inconsistent with her chronological age,” Taylor County Deputy Chris MacQueen wrote in the court document charging Moran’s custodian, Shannon Robinson, with her murder. MacQueen said the medical examiner also noted Moran had head lice, a yellowish tint to her skin, bones “visibly protruding” because of her extreme thinness, and multiple bruises and lacerations on her body.
Last Tuesday, Robinson was indicted on charges of murder of a child by a parent, guardian, or custodian by refusal or failure to provide necessities, and child neglect resulting in death. The child’s father, Aaron Moran, was arrested on Saturday after being indicted on the same charges.
Taylor said lawmakers cannot ignore what has been publicly revealed about CPS’s involvement before the child’s death.
Taylor County Prosecuting Attoney John Bord told Eyewitness News that CPS visisted the home where Miana Moran, 11, was found dead weeks before her death in Feb. 2025. (WCHS)
Last week, Taylor County Prosecuting Attorney John Bord confirmed during an exclusive interview with Eyewitness News that CPS visited Robinson’s home, where Miana and her older sister lived, multiple times prior to the girl’s death, including within weeks of her dying.
Bord said CPS workers made physical contact with the child during the final visit, though he could not specify who made the referral or what allegations were made.
“I think the department has some responsibility in this, too,” Bord said, referring to the West Virginia Department of Human Services. “Again, we haven’t gotten anything to say that specifically, but you asked me my opinion, and it’s my opinion.”
Shannon Robinson, 51, of Grafton, is being held without bond following an arraignment hearing on Thursday. She’s accused of the murder of Miana Moran, 11. (WCHS)
“If those reports are accurate, West Virginians are right to ask an obvious and fair question,” Taylor said. “How did this happen?”
Gov. Patrick Morrisey confirmed last week that DoHS has opened an internal investigation into CPS’s handling of the case.
“That alone tells us what every West Virginian already knows,” Taylor said. “Something went wrong, and it cannot be ignored.”
He rejected early claims that Mianna was homeschooled, noting reporting from Eyewitness News that confirmed she was enrolled in a public virtual school program through Upshur County Schools.
Aaron Moran, 42, of Grafton, was arrested by West Virginia State Police on Saturday. (WVDCR)
“We owe the public the truth,” Taylor said. “Because wrong diagnosis leads to wrong reforms.”
Taylor told senators that legislation is now being drafted to overhaul CPS oversight and accountability. He said the goal is not political gain, but restoring public confidence in a system tasked with protecting vulnerable children.
“We cannot accept a system where the agency investigates itself behind closed doors and elected lawmakers are left unable to confirm that children are truly being protected,” the senator remarked.
Taylor acknowledged long-standing concerns raised by CPS officials, including staffing shortages, high caseloads, and low pay, but said those realities cannot excuse systemic failure.
“Those challenges may be real,” he said. “But they are not an acceptable excuse for failing a child.”
He criticized what he described as a culture of secrecy within CPS, arguing that while confidentiality can protect children, it can also shield the system from scrutiny.
Sen. Jay Taylor (R-Taylor) holds up a photo of Miana Moran, 11, during a speech on the Senate floor Tuesday where he called for CPS reform in light of details revealed following her death last year. (WV Legislature/Photo by Will Price)
“Secrecy without oversight does not protect children,” Taylor said. “It protects systems.”
Taylor called for meaningful legislative oversight, improved documentation, supervisory accountability, and transparency into CPS decision-making — without compromising the privacy and dignity of children.
The senator concluded by urging lawmakers to confront the reality that failures are often only revealed after a child has died.
“We have failed in our responsibility to our children,” he said. “That is hard to say, but it is necessary to say, and acknowledging that failure is the first step towards fixing it.
DoHS has not responded to a request for comment regarding the case.
Eyewitness News has filed Freedom of Information requests seeking records related to CPS involvement before and after the girl’s death. On Monday, assistant general counsel Lauren Withers said the agency was currently researching to determine any public records in its possession that are responsive to the request and not otherwise exempt by law.
“We anticipate having a final response to your request no later than February 26, 2026,” Withers said.
In 2024, Kyneddi Miller, 14, was found dead in a “skeletal state” in her Boone County home.
In 2024, Kyneddi Miller, 14, was found dead in a “skeletal state” in her Boone County home. The case marked a turning point in West Virginia, exposing widespread breakdowns in the state’s child protection system and prompting major scrutiny of how abuse and neglect cases are handled. (Family Courtesy Photo)
The case marked a turning point in West Virginia, exposing widespread breakdowns in the state’s child protection system and prompting major scrutiny of how abuse and neglect cases are handled.
Documents obtained by Eyewitness News showed child protective services knew or should have known about the teen more than a year before her death.
A Nov. 2025, a federal audit found the state did not comply with 91% of investigation requirements when responding to reports of child abuse and neglect.
The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General said news coverage of Kyneddi’s death prompted the audit that sampled 100 of 23,759 of West Virginia’s screened-in family reports of child abuse and neglect from Oct. 1, 2023, through Sept. 30, 2024.
State lawmakers have introduced bills this session attempting to bolster accountability for DoHS.
House Bill 4579 would require CPS workers to wear a body camera while investigating reports of child abuse and neglect. The bill was referred to the House Judiciary Committee, where it hasn’t yet been taken up for consideration.
“The time is now to reform child protective services in this state,” Taylor said. “Not with rhetoric, not with excuses, but with accountability, transparency, and responsibility worthy of the trust West Virginia’s place in us.
CHARLESTON, W.Va. — The following events happened on these dates in West Virginia history, compiled by the West Virginia Humanities Council from its online encyclopedia, e-WV.
April 19, 1896: Writer Melville Davisson Post was born in Harrison County. His best-known works are the Randolph Mason series, published in three volumes, and the more successful collection Uncle Abner: Master of Mysteries.
April 19, 1902: Author Jean Lee Latham was born in Buckhannon. She wrote a number of children’s books, including Carry On, Mr. Bowditch, which won the 1956 Newbery Award.
April 20, 1823: Gen. Jesse Lee Reno was born in Wheeling. He graduated from West Point in 1846 with another cadet from western Virginia, Thomas J. Jackson, later known as “Stonewall.” Reno was the highest-ranking officer from present West Virginia killed in the Civil War.
April 20, 1863: President Abraham Lincoln issued a proclamation that in 60 days, West Virginia would become a state. The occasion was marked 100 years later during the state’s Centennial celebration with a special ceremonial session of the West Virginia Legislature on April 20, 1963, in Wheeling.
April 20, 1909: Fiddler Melvin Wine was born near Burnsville in Braxton County. A favorite of old-time music enthusiasts nationally, he was chosen as a National Heritage Fellow in 1991 by the National Endowment for the Arts — the highest recognition given to a folk artist in the United States.
April 20, 1939: Poet Irene McKinney was born in Belington, Barbour County. Gov. Gaston Caperton appointed her state poet laureate in 1993, and she served in that capacity until her death in 2012.
April 21, 1908: Musician Phoeba Cottrell Parsons was born in Calhoun County. Parsons’ traditional clawhammer banjo style, unaccompanied ballad singing, riddles and storytelling have influenced countless younger musicians.
April 21, 1936: President Franklin Roosevelt established the Jefferson National Forest. The West Virginia portion of the forest includes about 19,000 acres in Monroe County.
April 22, 1908: Marshall “Little Sleepy” Glenn was born in Elkins. Glenn coached basketball at West Virginia University from 1934 to 1938 and football from 1937 to 1940. He was inducted into the WVU Sports Hall of Fame in 1992.
April 22, 1948: Grammy-nominated singer-songwriter and musician Larry Groce was born in Dallas, Texas. He is best known as the longtime host and artistic director of the Mountain Stage radio program.
April 22, 2003: Activist Judy Bonds, a Raleigh County native, received the Goldman Environmental Prize for her fight against mountaintop removal mining. Her efforts inspired thousands and turned a local West Virginia issue into a national cause.
April 23, 1857: Andrew S. Rowan was born in Gap Mills, Monroe County. Rowan, a military officer, was chosen as the messenger when President William McKinley wanted to send a message to Cuban Gen. Calixto Garcia during the Spanish-American War. The 1899 pamphlet A Message to Garcia made the incident famous.
April 24, 1865: McNeill’s Rangers surrendered to Union troops at New Creek — now Keyser. The Confederate guerrilla force probably never numbered more than 100 men at any time but managed to inflict regular damage on Union operations.
April 25, 1863: In what became known as the Jones-Imboden Raid, about 1,500 Confederate soldiers under Gen. William “Grumble” Jones advanced through Greenland Gap, a deep pass through New Creek Mountain in present Grant County. The Confederates encountered 87 Union soldiers who held off several assaults before finally surrendering.
April 25, 1923: Union leader Arnold Ray Miller was born at Leewood on Cabin Creek in Kanawha County. In December 1972, he defeated Tony Boyle to become president of the United Mine Workers and served until 1979.
e-WV is a project of the West Virginia Humanities Council. For more information, contact the council at 1310 Kanawha Blvd. E., Charleston, WV 25301, call 304-346-8500 or visit wvencyclopedia.org.
During the Gold-Blue spring game on Saturday, the West Virginia coaching staff named wide receiver Cyrus Traught the recipient of the 2026 Tommy Nikolich Award.
The award, which is always given out at the end of spring ball, recognizes a walk-on team member who has distinguished himself through his attitude and work ethic. The award is presented in memory of Tommy Nickolich, a former WVU player (1980-82) who passed away from cancer in 1983.
Traugh is a Parkersburg native and graduate of Parkersburg South High School. He began his career at Youngstown State before transferring back home to play for the Mountaineers last season. In his final year with the Penguins, he logged 36 receptions, 409 yards, and a team-leading five touchdowns, two of which came against Pitt.
During the 2025 campaign with the Mountaineers, he saw action against Robert Morris and Kansas, playing 10 snaps against the Jayhawks, but did not record any stats.
Head coach Rich Rodriguez has mentioned him twice this spring as someone who has been doing some good things and making progress. Wide receivers coach Ryan Garrett also showed him some love during his press conference last week.
The Mountaineers completely revamped the wide receiver room this offseason, upping the level of talent at both inside and outside receiver spots, but perhaps Traugh can work his way into the mix if he puts together a strong summer and fall camp. If he’s not a regular in the rotation, he’ll serve as a quality depth piece who can play special teams.
Past Nickolich Award winners:
2025: Clay Ash, RB
2024: Avery Wilcox, S
2023: C.J. Cole, WR
2022: Nick Malone, OL
2021: Graeson Malashevich, WR/H
2020: Osman Kamara, S
2019: Jake Abbott, LB
2018: Evan Staley, K
2017: Nick Meadows, LS
2016: Jon Lewis, DL
2015: Justin Arndt, LB
2014: Michael Calicchio, OL
2013: Connor Arlia, WR
2012: Tyler Anderson, DE
2011: Ryan Nehlen, WR
2010: Matt Lindamood, FB
2009: Josh Taylor, DL
2008: Adam Hughes, LS
2007: Andy Emery, LB
2006: Tim Lindsey, LS
2005: George Shehl, H/DB
2004: Jeff Noechel, LB
2003: John Pennington, WR
2002: Moe Fofana, RB
2001: Jeremy Knapp, TE
2000: Ben Collins, LB
1999: Bryan Lorenz, LB
1998: Mark Corman, TE
1997: David Lightcap, DB
1996: Matt Ceresa, OL
1995: Rob Keys, DB
1994: Randy Fulmore, DB
1993: Matt McCulty, WR
1992: Brett Parise, WR, Ray Wilcox, LB
1991: Keith Taparausky, RB
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