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CHARLESTON, W.Va. (WSAZ) - West Virginia’s governor tells WSAZ NewsChannel 3 that state child welfare officials had “no idea,” about a Boone County teenager who authorities say had been living in neglect.

The 14-year-old died last week, leading police to charge her mother with neglect.

Authorities say the teenager had not eaten for months and was unable to function over four to five days before dying of cardiac arrest. They say the girl, who they believe was home schooled, had not been outside of the home more than two times in the last four years.

Del. Josh Holstein, R-Boone, and Senate Minority Leader Mike Woelfel, D-Cabell, told WSAZ last week the state should do more to check on home-school students.

So Tuesday, NewsChannel 3 reporter Curtis Johnson took that question and others to Gov. Jim Justice, who said this in reacting to the case.

“What’s happened here is hideous beyond belief,” Justice told WSAZ. “My good Lord, it’s terrible. I mean, it’s completely terrible.”

Justice did not address WSAZ’s question as to if the state should do more to check on the condition of home-school students, but he did weigh in on issues involving Child Protective Services.

Johnson’s questions, and the governor’s answers, came one day after his Department of Human Services issued a lengthy statement on the case.

“Should we read that statement as confirming CPS had a history in that child’s life?” Johnson asked Justice.

“You know, Curtis, the CPS folks, from what I understand, had no idea about this child, no idea whatsoever,” he answered.

Justice’s response -- that CPS had no knowledge of the Boone County teenager -- went further than his agency’s statement a day earlier.

In fact, CPS is often criticized by lawmakers who argue its leaders refuse to answer simple questions and hide behind confidentiality laws.

But in 2022, when WSAZ asked Ohio authorities questions about the deaths of two children with open child welfare cases, the station received an eight-page report. It did not include names of children, but included details and recommendations for corrective action.

So in light of the Boone County case, Johnson asked Justice this question: “Governor, where do you stand on changing state law to allow CPS to share more information about these tragic incidents?”

“Without any question, would I be in favor of law changes that would make, maybe, the information flow more constructive,” Justice replied. “Sure. Sure, I would. But from the standpoint of the law, you know, you’ve got federal laws that are restricting, and making it to where all this stuff is so confidential, it’s unbelievable. You know, so, I mean, I can’t talk to you about that. But absolutely Curtis, what you’re driving to is exactly how I would feel.”

Earlier this year, West Virginia’s House and Senate offered different proposals to get there, however, neither made it to the governor.

Sponsors of both bills told Johnson they had significant input from the state Department of Human Services to comply with those federal restrictions.

Woelfel, in light of the Boone County case, told WSAZ something has to be done.

“We can be prospective in our thinking,” he said. “Errors were made or this child would be alive and thriving. So there are ways in which the system -- and by that I mean the state, the educational system, human services, the law enforcement -- there were things that went wrong. I guarantee it, in this case, that could be corrected and protect another child.”

Justice and the state’s Human Services Department urge anyone who suspects a case of child abuse or neglect to say something. The state’s abuse and neglect hotline can be reached around-the-clock at 1-800-352-6513.