Child abuse is an ugly subject. It’s hard to imagine anything more despicable than deliberately harming a defenseless child.
What, exactly, constitutes child abuse?
Child abuse includes:
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- Mental or emotional injury to a child that results in an observable and material impairment in the child’s growth, development, or psychological functioning
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- Causing or permitting the child to be in a situation in which the child sustains a mental or emotional injury that results in an observable and material impairment in the child’s growth, development, or psychological functioning
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- Physical injury that results in substantial charm to the child, or the genuine threat of substantial harm from physical injury to the child
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- Failure to make a reasonable effort to prevent an action by another person that results in physical injury causing substantial harm to the child
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- Sexual conduct harmful to a child’s mental, emotional, or physical welfare
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- Failure to make a reasonable effort to prevent sexual conduct harmful to a child
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- Compelling or encouraging the child to engage in sexual conduct
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- Causing, permitting, encouraging, engaging in, or allowing the photographic or other depiction of the child that is obscene
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- Using a controlled substance in a manner or to the extent that the use results in physical, mental, or emotional injury to a child
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- Causing, expressly permitting, or encouraging a child to use a controlled substance
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- Child trafficking
- Forcing a child into marriage
Penalties for child abuse are swift and certain, as are penalties for false allegations of child abuse. If it is established that a party knowingly made false allegations of child abuse, that false report can be used against the one making the false allegation during custody proceedings.
If you have been falsely accused of child abuse, contact us for help. Call us at (956) 428-2822 for a free consultation or complete our online form.
