(a) The Fatality and Mortality Review Team is created under the Bureau for Public Health. The Fatality and Mortality Review Team is a multidisciplinary team created to oversee and coordinate the examination, review and assessment of:

Terms Used In West Virginia Code 61-12A-1

  • State: when applied to a part of the United States and not restricted by the context, includes the District of Columbia and the several territories, and the words "United States" also include the said district and territories. See West Virginia Code 2-2-10

(1) The deaths of all persons in West Virginia who die as a result of unintentional prescription or pharmaceutical drug overdoses;

(2) The deaths of children under the age of eighteen years;

(3) The deaths resulting from suspected domestic violence; and

(4) The deaths of all infants and all women who die during pregnancy, at the time of birth or within one year of the birth of a child.

(b) The Fatality and Mortality Review Team shall consist of the following members:

(1) The Chief Medical Examiner in the Bureau for Public Health or his or her designee, who is to serve as the chairperson and who is responsible for calling and coordinating meetings of the Fatality and Mortality Review Team and meetings of any advisory panel created by the Fatality and Mortality Review Team;

(2) The Commissioner of the Bureau for Public Health or his or her designee;

(3) The Superintendent of the West Virginia State Police or his or her designee; and

(4) A prosecuting attorney, as appointed by the Governor, who shall serve for a term of three years unless otherwise reappointed to a second or subsequent term. A prosecuting attorney appointed to the team shall continue to serve until his or her term expires or until his or her successor has been appointed.

(c) Each member shall serve without additional compensation and may not be reimbursed for any expenses incurred in the discharge of his or her duties under the provisions of this article.