A bill named in honor of Miya Rudd, the infant found dead in her parents’ Ohio County home last year, has cleared a Kentucky House committee.
House Bill 574, sponsored by Rep. Myron Dossett of Pembroke, would require anyone with reasonable knowledge of a child born to parents who have other children in state custody or an ongoing dependency, abuse, or neglect case to report it to Kentucky State Police or another relevant authority. The report would create a rebuttable presumption that the child is in immediate danger, triggering an emergency custody order.
The Cabinet for Health and Family Services would be required to investigate each notification.
“We must take the safety of innocent children with the utmost importance,” Dossett said. “When a child is born to parents who already have their children in someone else’s custody due to neglect or abuse, the state should intervene and ensure that the child is safe and cared for. I believe in second chances, but there is no second chance for a child who passes away due to abuse or neglect. We have to put children’s safety first and ensure that the parents are proactively changing their lives for the better before any child, especially a newborn, is returned to their custody.”
Rep. Scott Lewis of Hartford serves as the primary co-sponsor of this bill.
“The passing of Miya was heartbreaking for my community and the entire state,” Lewis added. “No child should have to suffer when the state can prevent it. Baby Miya’s Law reconfirms the commonwealth’s commitment to life and allows the community to stand up for children born into unfortunate circumstances. We hope this legislation can prevent something like this from happening again in our state.”
For more information on HB 574, other legislative measures, or the 2025 Regular Session, please visit legislature.ky.gov.
