



WELCH, West Virginia – A 7-year-old North Carolina girl was found dead of starvation last week in West Virginia, according to officials.



Sheriff David Grice, in Davidson County, North Carolina, said he was contacted Monday by McDowell County, West Virginia, sheriff's officials and was told the state pathologist had ruled starvation as the cause of death.



The West Virginia MetroNews also reports the cause of death was starvation, citing the state Medical Examiner's Office.



“They said the child died from malnutrition not attributed to disease,” McDowell County Sheriff Martin West told the MetroNews. “That just means the child was starved to death.”



The girl was pronounced dead on the morning of Aug. 1 at Welch Community Hospital.



West added that the child had only been in West Virginia for three days.



Grice said the child was in West Virginia visiting relatives. He added that his deputies are trying to determine what happened to the child.



There are other children in the Davidson County home the child was from, Grice said, and those children seem to be in good condition.



McDowell County Sheriff's Office and Davidson County Sheriff's Office officials are coordinating on this case, West said.



No charges have been announced at this time.