In a deeply tragic case from West Virginia, the biological father of an 11-year-old girl who died from severe neglect and starvation has been arrested. Forty-two-year-old Aaron James Moran now faces serious charges related to the distressing death of his daughter, Miana Moran.

Over the weekend, authorities took Moran into custody, charging him with murder of a child by a parent, guardian, or custodian through refusal or failure to provide basic necessities. He also faces a charge of child neglect resulting in death. This arrest follows the earlier apprehension of 51-year-old Shannon Robinson, Miana’s stepmother and primary custodian, who received similar charges earlier in the month.

Both Moran and Robinson were indicted by the same grand jury. However, Moran’s indictment was sealed until this past weekend, coinciding with his discharge from a hospital. This development was reported by Charleston’s Fox and ABC affiliate, WCHS. West Virginia State Police were quick to act, executing the arrest warrant as Moran left the medical facility.

According to court documents reviewed by WCHS, the charges allege that Moran was complicit by knowingly allowing Robinson to neglect Miana. These accusations include failing to provide essential care for the child, such as food, clothing, shelter, and medical attention.

The tragedy came to light on February 16, 2025, when Taylor County Sheriff’s Office deputies responded to an emergency call reporting an unresponsive young girl in a Grafton residence. Upon arrival, they found Miana Moran lying on the kitchen floor, as emergency medical personnel desperately attempted to resuscitate her. This somber scene underscores the severity of the alleged neglect that led to her untimely death.

As Law&Crime previously reported, at about 8:40 p.m. on Feb. 16, 2025, deputies with the Taylor County Sheriff’s Office responded to a call from emergency medical services about an unresponsive juvenile female at a residence in the 200 block of Nector Street in Grafton, West Virginia. Upon arriving at the address, deputies said the child was lying on the kitchen floor while medical personnel administered lifesaving measures.

“[The victim] appeared extremely small for her age, severely underweight, and malnourished,” a deputy wrote in the affidavit. “[She] was wearing disposable pull-ups and was not breathing or responsive.”

Moran was kneeling next to Miana while Robinson, the victim’s “primary caregiver,” was seated nearby.

Robinson told authorities that Miana had been “experiencing flu-like symptoms for approximately a week prior to the incident,” but said that “no medical treatment had been sought.”

EMS transported the child to Grafton City Hospital where she was pronounced dead at 9:32 p.m., per the affidavit.

Two other “household members” told investigators the victim had been sick “for a little while” and was kept in diapers because she had ongoing diarrhea for “an extended period.”

The medical examiner’s office conducted an autopsy and found that Miana weighed just 43 pounds, which was “grossly inconsistent with her chronological age.”

“The medical examiner further noted head lice, a yellowish tint to the skin, extreme thinness with bones visibly protruding, and multiple bruises and lacerations on the extremities and torso,” police wrote in the affidavit. “On Oct. 7, 2025, I received the final autopsy report, which concluded [the victim] died from bilateral, diffuse, acute bronchopneumonia, with failure to thrive listed as a contributing factor. The report noted [the victim] was markedly underweight, with height and weight well below the fifth percentile for her age and sex.”

Interviews with family and friends allegedly revealed that Robinson and Moran kept Miana “isolated” from the outside world, investigators said. They also alleged that the 11-year-old had been visibly ill since mid-2024, with her condition “progressively worsening to the point she was unable to walk without assistance and spent the majority of her time sleeping.”

Despite the “observable and severe decline in health,” witnesses told detectives that Robinson and Moran refused to obtain necessary medical care for the victim “because they feared being reported for child abuse or neglect due to her physical condition.” A search of records showed Miana had not seen a doctor since 2020, shortly after she began living with Robinson.

The couple also allegedly starved Miana as a form of punishment.

“Further investigation revealed that food deprivation was used as a method of punishment toward [the victim],” the affidavit states. “Witnesses stated that if [the victim] resisted or ‘pushed back’ against Ms. Robinson, she would be denied food or provided only minimal nourishment for extended periods, while other household members consumed full meals in her presence.”

Moran was booked into the North Central Regional Jail without bond, records show. It was not immediately clear when he was scheduled to appear back in court.