HB704: Death of child; parent, guardian, etc., failure to report to local law-enforcement agency, etc.

Be it enacted by the General Assembly of Virginia:

1.  That the Code of Virginia is amended by adding a section numbered 18.2-323.03 as follows:

§ 18.2-323.03. Failure to report death of child by parent, guardian, etc.; penalty.

Any parent, guardian, or legal custodian of a child or a person standing in loco parentis to a child who, with intent to conceal the death, fails to report or cause to be reported the death of the child not in the care of a health care provider to the local law-enforcement agency, the State Police, or an emergency health care provider within one hour of his discovery of the death is guilty of a Class 6 felony.

2.  That the provisions of this act may result in a net increase in periods of imprisonment or commitment. Pursuant to § 30-19.1:4, the estimated amount of the necessary appropriation is $0 for periods of imprisonment in state adult correctional facilities and cannot be determined for periods of commitment to the custody of the Department of Juvenile Justice.