W.Va. missing person case leads to new law - WSAZ

CHARLESTON, W.Va. (WSAZ) - The death and disappearance of Brenda Curry occurred six months ago, but the incident spurred family members to action and led to the potential of a new law.

The proposal, House Bill 4847, passed the Legislature with no opposition. It was among bills passed Saturday on the final day of the state’s 60-day legislative session.

Tracy White, Curry’s niece, sat in the gallery as the Senate conducted its final debate.

“She was a creature of habit,” she said afterwards of Curry. “She went the same way. She stopped at the same gas stations. If she had to use the bathroom, it was the exact same area. So when she didn’t return home Thursday, her family knew that something had happened.”

Their vehicle was located four days later. It had run off the road in a remote location near the Wirt-Ritchie county line.

Brenda died in the crash. Her daughter survived.

That crash sparked Brenda’s niece – Tracy White and White’s husband - to talk to lawmakers about ways to help law enforcement investigate missing person cases involving multiple agencies.

“We wanted to revamp and revisit the way that West Virginia does search and rescue,” White said.

Delegate Moore Capito, R-Kanawha, sponsored the proposal.

He was unsure of certain specifics in Curry’s case, but explained his bill attempts to clarify the process for handling missing person cases.

“We wanted to ensure if there were things that we could do from a legislative level to try to help or try to even assist law enforcement with clearer guidelines,” he said.

Sen. Glenn Jeffries, D-Putnam, also introduced White just prior to the Senate’s final vote.

“This legislation will put in place whenever something like this happens, there will be an immediate investigation started and that information be relayed to the State Police.”

The new law would require State Police to supervise any missing persons report that crosses county lines.

It also would label cases involving someone 75 or older as high risk, assign the lead agency to communicate with families and other agencies and set a new standard to make sure that every case is expedited.

“This bill will not bring my aunt back,” White said. “It will not take away the mental anguish that her daughter will have for the rest of her life probably, but hopefully it will save someone else’s life in her honor.”

WSAZ spoke with state and local law enforcement, and for now it is unclear who received the initial report in Brenda’s case.

West Virginia State Police declined an on-camera interview, but a ranking trooper told us the State Police stands ready and willing to assist any agency with missing person reports.

The legislation awaits the Governor’s signature.

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source: https://www.wsaz.com/2022/03/16/wva-missing-person-case-leads-new-law/

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