24. In any case in which the Division of Child Protection and Permanency accepts a child in care or custody, including placement, the division shall not be required to provide reasonable efforts to prevent placement of the child if a court of competent jurisdiction has determined that both of the following criteria are met:

a. One of the following actions has occurred:

(1) the parent has subjected the child to aggravated circumstances of abuse, neglect, cruelty, or abandonment,

(2) the parent has been convicted of murder, aggravated manslaughter, or manslaughter of another child of the parent; aiding or abetting, attempting, conspiring, or soliciting to commit murder, aggravated manslaughter, or manslaughter of the child or another child of the parent; committing or attempting to commit an assault that resulted, or could have resulted, in the significant bodily injury to the child or another child of the parent; or committing a similarly serious criminal act which resulted, or could have resulted, in the death or significant bodily injury to the child or another child of the parent,

(3) the rights of the parent to another of the parent’s children have been involuntarily terminated or

(4) removal of the child was required due to imminent danger to the child’s life, safety or health; and

b. Efforts to prevent placement were not reasonable due to risk of harm to the child’s health or safety.

When determining whether reasonable efforts are required to prevent placement, the health and safety of the child shall be of paramount concern to the court.

L.1999, c.53, s.24; amended 2004, c.130, s.50; 2012, c.16, s.62.