Few legal issues are more emotionally charged and elicit a more visceral response from the public than child abuse. Oklahoma juries and legislatures alike have reacted harshly to accusations of this crime in the state, and many people are wondering what constitutes the crime of child abuse in Oklahoma simply so they can be sure to avoid questioning regarding this law. Anyone who faces an investigation or worse in this regard needs to seek the immediate help of an Oklahoma child abuse lawyer, and below is a brief introduction to what could be considered a crime in the state.
CONDUCT CONSIDERED CHILD ABUSE OR CHILD NEGLECT IN OKLAHOMA
The Oklahoma statutes speak extensively to the issue of child abuse, and there are several forms of conduct that could be considered abuse in the eyes of the law. For instance, the following actions are set out in Oklahoma law as child abuse:
Harm to a child’s health
Threatened harm to a child’s health
Non-accidental physical injury infliction
Non-accidental mental/emotional injury infliction
Sexual abuse or exploitation
Negligent treatment such as failing to provide necessities of life
Abandonment
In addition to overt conduct, it can also be considered a crime for someone who knows that child abuse is occurring to not report it.
HOW OKLAHOMA CHILD ABUSE CRIMINAL DEFENSE LAWYERS CAN HELP
As can be seen, the law involves many different forms of conduct that could be considered child abuse. While it seems that the laws are clear, there are actually situations where a simple misunderstanding could be misconstrued as child abuse. Regardless, these crimes involve serious punishments for anyone who is convicted of this charge. Therefore, if you or someone you love faces prosecution or even the potential for prosecution for this type of crime, you need to immediately contact the Oklahoma City child abuse lawsuit attorney at AMA Law to schedule an initial consultation.