State 

Statutes

Current Through 

July 2009

U.S. Department of Health and Human Services

Administration for Children and Families

Administration on Children, Youth and Families

Children’s Bureau

Child Welfare Information Gateway

Children’s Bureau/ACYF

1250 Maryland Avenue, SW

Eighth Floor

Washington, DC 20024

800.394.3366

Email: info@childwelfare.gov

www.childwelfare.gov

Definitions of 

Child Abuse and 

Neglect: Summary 

of State Laws

Electronic copies of this publication 

may be downloaded at

www.childwelfare.gov/systemwide/

laws_policies/statutes/defineall.cfm

To find statute information for a 

particular State, go to

www.childwelfare.gov/systemwide/

laws_policies/state/index.cfm

To find information on all the 

States and territories, order a copy 

of the full-length PDF by calling 

800.394.3366, or download it at

www.childwelfare.gov/systemwide/

laws_policies/statutes/defineall.pdf

Child abuse and neglect are defined by Federal 

and State laws. The Federal Child Abuse Prevention 

and Treatment Act (CAPTA) provides minimum 

standards that States must incorporate in their 

statutory definitions of child abuse and neglect. The 

CAPTA definition of “child abuse and neglect,” at a 

minimum, refers to: 

• “Any recent act or failure to act on the part of 

a parent or caretaker, which results in death, 

serious physical or emotional harm, sexual abuse, 

or exploitation, or an act or failure to act which 

presents an imminent risk of serious harm”1

The CAPTA definition of “sexual abuse” includes:

1	 42 U.S.C.A. § 5106g(2) (2003).
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• “The employment, use, persuasion, inducement, enticement, 

or coercion of any child to engage in, or assist any other 

person to engage in, any sexually explicit conduct or 

simulation of such conduct for the purpose of producing a 

visual depiction of such conduct; or

• The rape, and in cases of caretaker or interfamilial 

relationships, statutory rape, molestation, prostitution, or 

other form of sexual exploitation of children, or incest with 

children”2

Types of Abuse

Nearly all States, the District of Columbia, American Samoa, 

Guam, the Northern Mariana Islands, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. 

Virgin Islands provide civil definitions of child abuse and neglect 

in statute.3

 As applied to reporting statutes, these definitions 

determine the grounds for intervention by State child protective 

agencies.4

 States recognize the different types of abuse in their 

definitions, including physical abuse, neglect, sexual abuse, and 

emotional abuse. Some States also provide definitions in statute 

for parental substance abuse and/or for abandonment as child 

abuse.

Physical Abuse

Physical abuse is generally defined as “any nonaccidental 

physical injury to the child” and can include striking, kicking, 

burning, or biting the child, or any action that results in a 

physical impairment of the child. In approximately 38 States and 

American Samoa, Guam, the Northern Mariana Islands, Puerto 

Rico, and the Virgin Islands, the definition of abuse also includes 

2	 42 U.S.C.A. § 5106g(4) (2003).

3	 Massachusetts defines child abuse and neglect in regulation.

4	 The term “child” means a person who is younger than age 18. States also may define

child abuse and neglect in their criminal statutes. These definitions provide the grounds

for the arrest and prosecution of the offenders. For more information on the criminal

aspects of child abuse and neglect, visit the National Center for Prosecution of Child

Abuse website: www.ndaa.org/apri/programs/ncpca/statutes.html
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acts or circumstances that threaten the child with harm or create 

a substantial risk of harm to the child’s health or welfare.5

Neglect 

Neglect is frequently defined as the failure of a parent or other 

person with responsibility for the child to provide needed 

food, clothing, shelter, medical care, or supervision such that 

the child’s health, safety, and well-being are threatened with 

harm. Approximately 24 States, the District of Columbia, 

American Samoa, Puerto Rico, and the Virgin Islands include 

failure to educate the child as required by law in their definition 

of neglect.6

 Seven States specifically define medical neglect 

as failing to provide any special medical treatment or mental 

health care needed by the child.7

 In addition, four States define 

as medical neglect the withholding of medical treatment or 

nutrition from disabled infants with life-threatening conditions.8

Sexual Abuse/Exploitation

All States include sexual abuse in their definitions of child abuse. 

Some States refer in general terms to sexual abuse, while others 

specify various acts as sexual abuse. Sexual exploitation is an 

element of the definition of sexual abuse in most jurisdictions.

Sexual exploitation includes allowing the child to engage in 

prostitution or in the production of child pornography.

Emotional Abuse

Almost all States, the District of Columbia, American Samoa, 

Guam, the Northern Mariana Islands, Puerto Rico, and the 

Virgin Islands include emotional maltreatment as part of their 

definitions of abuse or neglect.9

 Approximately 32 States, the 

District of Columbia, the Northern Mariana Islands, and Puerto 

Rico provide specific definitions of emotional abuse or mental 

5	 The word approximately is used to stress the fact that the States frequently amend

their laws. This information is current through July 2009. The States are Alabama, Alaska,

Arkansas, California, Colorado, Florida, Hawaii, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky,

Louisiana, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Montana, Nebraska,

Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon,

Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Vermont, Virginia,

West Virginia, Wisconsin, and Wyoming.

6	 The States that define “failure to educate” as neglect include Arkansas, Colorado,

Connecticut, Delaware, Idaho, Indiana, Kentucky, Maine, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri,

Montana, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Dakota,

Ohio, South Carolina, South Dakota, Utah, West Virginia, and Wyoming.

7	 Mississippi, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, Tennessee, Texas, and West Virginia.

8	 Indiana, Kansas, Minnesota, and Montana.

9	 All States except Georgia and Washington.
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injury to a child.10 Typical language used in these definitions is 

“injury to the psychological capacity or emotional stability of the 

child as evidenced by an observable or substantial change in 

behavior, emotional response, or cognition,” or as evidenced by 

“anxiety, depression, withdrawal, or aggressive behavior.”

Parental Substance Abuse

Parental substance abuse is an element of the definition of 

child abuse or neglect in some States.11 Circumstances that are 

considered abuse or neglect in some States include:

• Prenatal exposure of a child to harm due to the mother’s 

use of an illegal drug or other substance (14 States and the 

District of Columbia)12

• Manufacture of a controlled substance in the presence of a 

child or on the premises occupied by a child (10 States)13

• Allowing a child to be present where the chemicals or 

equipment for the manufacture of controlled substances are 

used or stored (three States)14

• Selling, distributing, or giving drugs or alcohol to a child 

(seven States and Guam)15

• Use of a controlled substance by a caregiver that impairs 

the caregiver’s ability to adequately care for the child (seven 

States)16

Abandonment

Approximately 17 States and the District of Columbia include 

abandonment in their definition of abuse or neglect, generally 

10 Alaska, Arizona, Arkansas, California, Colorado, Delaware, Florida, Hawaii, Idaho, Iowa,

Kansas, Kentucky, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Minnesota, Montana, Nevada, New

Hampshire, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South

Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Vermont, Wisconsin, and Wyoming.

11 For summaries of statutes and a more complete discussion of this issue, see Child

Welfare Information Gateway’s Parental Drug Use as Child Abuse: www.childwelfare.gov/

systemwide/laws_policies/statutes/drugexposed.cfm

12 Arizona, Arkansas, Colorado, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Louisiana, Massachusetts,

Minnesota, North Dakota, Oklahoma, Oregon, South Dakota, and Wisconsin.

13 Colorado, Indiana, Iowa, Montana, Ohio, Oregon, South Dakota, Tennessee, Virginia,

and Washington.

14 Arizona, Arkansas, and Washington.

15 Arkansas, Florida, Hawaii, Illinois, Minnesota, Ohio, and Texas.

16 California, Delaware, Kentucky, Minnesota, New York, Rhode Island, and Texas.
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as a type of neglect.17 Approximately 18 States, Guam, Puerto 

Rico, and the Virgin Islands provide definitions for abandonment 

that are separate from the definition of neglect.18 In general, it is 

considered abandonment of the child when the parent’s identity 

or whereabouts are unknown, the child has been left by the 

parent in circumstances in which the child suffers serious harm, 

or the parent has failed to maintain contact with the child or to 

provide reasonable support for a specified period of time.

Standards for 

Reporting

Generally speaking, a report must be made when an individual 

knows or has reasonable cause to believe or suspect that a child 

has been subjected to abuse or neglect. These standards guide 

mandatory reporters in deciding whether to make a report to 

child protective services.

Persons 

Responsible 

for the Child

In addition to defining acts or omissions that constitute child 

abuse or neglect, several States’ statutes provide specific 

definitions of persons who can be reported to child protective 

services as perpetrators of abuse or neglect. These are persons 

who have some relationship or regular responsibility for the 

child. This generally includes parents, guardians, foster parents, 

relatives, or other caregivers responsible for the child’s welfare.

Exceptions

A number of States provide exceptions in their reporting laws 

that exempt certain acts or omissions from their statutory 

definitions of child abuse and neglect. For instance, in 12 States 

and the District of Columbia, financial inability to provide for a 

child is exempted from the definition of neglect.19 In 16 States, 

the District of Columbia, American Samoa, and the Northern 

Mariana Islands, physical discipline of a child, as long as it 

17 California, Colorado, Connecticut, Illinois, Kentucky, Louisiana, Minnesota, Nevada,

New Jersey, North Carolina, Rhode Island, South Dakota, Utah, Vermont, Virginia, West

Virginia, and Wyoming.

18 Arizona, Arkansas, Florida, Idaho, Indiana, Kansas, Maine, Massachusetts, Montana,

Nebraska, New Hampshire, New Mexico, New York, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma,

South Carolina, and Texas.

19 Arkansas, Florida, Kansas, Louisiana, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, North Dakota,

Pennsylvania, Texas, Washington, West Virginia, and Wisconsin.
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is reasonable and causes no bodily injury to the child, is an 

exception to the definition of abuse.20

The CAPTA amendments of 1996 added provisions specifying 

that nothing in the Act be construed as establishing a Federal 

requirement that a parent or legal guardian provide any medical 

service or treatment that is against the religious beliefs of the 

parent or legal guardian (42 U.S.C. § 5106i). At the State level, 

31 States, the District of Columbia, Guam, and Puerto Rico 

provide in their civil child abuse reporting laws an exception to 

the definition of child abuse and neglect for parents who choose 

not to seek medical care for their children due to religious 

beliefs.21 However, 16 of the 31 States and Puerto Rico authorize 

the court to order medical treatment for the child when the 

child’s condition warrants intervention.22 Three States specifically 

provide an exception for Christian Science treatment.23 Five 

States require mandated reporters to report instances when a 

child is not receiving medical care so that an investigation can 

be made.24

This publication is a product of the State Statutes Series 

prepared by Child Welfare Information Gateway. While every 

attempt has been made to be as complete as possible, 

additional information on these topics may be in other 

sections of a State’s code as well as agency regulations, case 

law, and informal practices and procedures.

20 Arkansas, California, Colorado, Florida, Georgia, Indiana, Minnesota, Mississippi,

Missouri, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, South Carolina, Texas, Utah, and Washington.

21 Alabama, Alaska, California, Colorado, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Idaho, Illinois,

Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maine, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi,

Missouri, Montana, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, Ohio, Oklahoma,

Pennsylvania, Utah, Vermont, Virginia, and Wyoming.

22 Alabama, Colorado, Florida, Idaho, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana,

Michigan, Missouri, Montana, Nevada, Ohio, Oklahoma, and Pennsylvania.

23 Arizona, Connecticut, and Washington.

24 Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Ohio, and Oklahoma.
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Alabama

Physical Abuse

Citation: Ala. Code § 26-14-1(1)-(3)

Abuse means harm or threatened harm to the health or welfare of a child through: 

• Nonaccidental physical injury 

• Sexual abuse or attempted sexual abuse 

• Sexual exploitation or attempted sexual exploitation 

Neglect

Citation: Ala. Code § 26-14-1(1)-(3)

Neglect means negligent treatment or maltreatment of a child, including the failure to provide adequate food, clothing, 

shelter, medical treatment, or supervision. 

Sexual Abuse/Exploitation

Citation: Ala. Code § 26-14-1(1)-(3)

Sexual abuse includes: 

• The employment, use, persuasion, inducement, enticement, or coercion of a child to engage in, or to have a child 

assist any other person to engage in sexually explicit conduct 

• Any simulation of the conduct for the purpose of producing a visual depiction of the conduct 

• The rape, molestation, prostitution, or other form of sexual exploitation of children 

• Incest with children 

Sexual exploitation includes: 

• Allowing, permitting, or encouraging a child to engage in prostitution 

• Allowing, permitting, encouraging, or engaging in obscene or pornographic photographing, filming, or depicting 

a child for commercial purposes 

Emotional Abuse

Citation: Ala. Code § 26-14-1(1)-(3)

The term abuse includes nonaccidental mental injury. 

Abandonment

This issue is not addressed in the statutes reviewed.

Standards for Reporting

Citation: Ala. Code § 26-14-13

A report is required when the child is known or suspected to be a victim of child abuse or neglect. 

Persons Responsible for the Child

Citation: Ala. Code § 26-14-7.2

Responsible persons include the child’s parent or legal guardian. 

Exceptions

Citation: Ala. Code § 26-14-7.2

A parent who fails to provide medical treatment to a child due to the legitimate practice of religious beliefs shall not be 

considered negligent for that reason alone. This exception shall not preclude a court from ordering that medical services 

be provided to the child. 
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Alaska 

Physical Abuse

Citation: Alaska Stat. § 47.17.290

Child abuse or neglect means the physical injury or neglect, mental injury, sexual abuse, sexual exploitation, or 

maltreatment of a child under age 18 by a person under circumstances that indicate that the child’s health or welfare is 

harmed or threatened. 

Maltreatment means an act or omission that results in circumstances in which there is reasonable cause to suspect that 

a child may be a child in need of aid, as described in § 47.10.011, except that for purposes of this chapter, the act or 

omission need not have been committed by the child’s parent, custodian, or guardian.

Neglect

Citation: Alaska Stat. § 47.17.290

Neglect means the failure of the person responsible for the child’s welfare to provide the child necessary food, care, 

clothing, shelter, or medical attention.

Sexual Abuse/Exploitation

Citation: § 47.17.290

Child abuse or neglect includes sexual abuse or sexual exploitation. 

Sexual exploitation includes the following conduct by a person responsible for the child’s welfare: 

• Allowing, permitting, or encouraging a child to engage in prostitution 

• Allowing, permitting, or encouraging a child to engage in actual or simulated activities of a sexual nature that are 

prohibited by criminal statute 

Emotional Abuse

Citation: Alaska Stat. § 47.17.290

Mental injury means a serious injury to the child as evidenced by an observable and substantial impairment in the child’s 

ability to function in a developmentally appropriate manner and the existence of that impairment is supported by the 

opinion of a qualified expert witness.

Abandonment

This issue is not addressed in the statutes reviewed. 

Standards for Reporting

Citation: Alaska Stat. § 47.17.020

A report is required when there is reasonable cause to suspect that a child has suffered harm as a result of child abuse or 

neglect.

Persons Responsible for the Child

Citation: Alaska Stat. § 47.17.290

A person responsible for the child’s welfare includes: 

• The child’s parent, guardian, or foster parent 

• The person responsible for the child’s care at the time of the alleged child abuse or neglect 

• The person responsible for the child’s welfare in a public or private residential agency or institution 

Exceptions

Citation: Alaska Stat. § 47.17.020(d)

A religious healing practitioner is not required to report as neglect of a child the failure to provide medical attention to 

the child if the child is provided treatment solely by spiritual means through prayer in accordance with the tenets and 

practices of a recognized church or religious denomination by an accredited practitioner of the church or denomination. 
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American Samoa 

Physical Abuse

Citation: Ann. Code §§ 45.2001(a)(1); 46.3810

Abuse or child abuse or neglect means an act or omission that can include: 

• Serious bruising, bleeding, malnutrition, failure to thrive, burns, fracture of a bone, subdural hematoma, soft tissue 

swelling, or death 

• A condition or death that is not justifiably explained, or where the history given concerning the condition or death 

is at variance with the degree or type of condition or death, or circumstances indicate that the condition or death 

may not be the result of an accidental occurrence 

Endangering the welfare of a child includes: 

• Acts that create a substantial risk to the life, body, or health of a child less than 18 years old 

• Any conduct that causes or tends to cause a substantial risk to the life, body, or health of the child

• Failure or refusal of the parent to exercise reasonable diligence in the care or control of the child to prevent a 

substantial risk to the life, body, or health of the child 

Neglect

Citation: Ann. Code §§ 45.2001(a)(1); 45.0103

Abuse or child abuse or neglect means any case in which the child’s parents, legal guardians, custodians, or any other 

person responsible for the child’s health and welfare fail to take action to provide adequate food, clothing, shelter, 

medical care, or supervision that a prudent parent would take. 

Neglected or dependent child means a child:

• Whose parent, guardian, or legal custodian has abandoned him or her or has subjected him or her to 

mistreatment or abuse or whose parent, guardian, or legal custodian has another to mistreat or abuse the child 

without taking lawful means to stop such mistreatment or abuse and to prevent it from recurring

• Who lacks proper parental care through the actions or omissions of the parent, guardian, or legal custodian

• Whose environment is injurious to his or her welfare

• Whose parent, guardian, or legal custodian fails or refuses to provide proper or necessary subsistence, education, 

medical care, or other care necessary for his or her health, guidance, or well-being

• Who is homeless, without proper care, or not domiciled with his or her parent, guardian, or legal custodian 

through no fault of his or her parent, guardian, or legal custodian

Sexual Abuse/Exploitation

Citation: Ann. Code § 45.2001(a)(1)

The terms abuse or child abuse or neglect include an acts or omissions that can include when a child is:

• Subjected to sexual offenses, including rape, sexual assault, sexual abuse, or indecent exposure

• Allowed, permitted, or encouraged to engage in prostitution

• Allowed, permitted, or encouraged to be the subject of obscene or pornographic photographing, filming, or 

depicting 

Emotional Abuse

Citation: Ann. Code § 45.2001(a)(1)

The terms abuse or child abuse or neglect include mental injury. 

Abandonment

This issue is not addressed in the statutes reviewed. 

Standards for Reporting

Citation: Ann. Code § 45.2002

A report is required when there is reasonable cause to know or suspect that a child has been subjected to abuse or 

neglect.
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Persons Responsible for the Child

Citation: Ann. Code §§ 45.2001(a)(1); 46.3805

Responsible persons include:

• The parent or guardian 

• Any other person legally charged with the custody or care of a child 

• Any person responsible for the child’s health and welfare 

Exceptions

Citation: Ann. Code § 45.2001(a)(1)

Those investigating child abuse must take into account accepted child-rearing practices of the culture in which the child 

participates. 

Reasonable exercise of parental discipline is not considered abuse. Normal parental discipline means all actions by 

parents, such as administration of blows by hand, strap, or light switch upon the buttocks, or any firm handling, scolding, 

or light taps, insufficient to seriously bruise or produce medical injury or disability. 

Arizona 

Physical Abuse

Citation: Rev. Stat. § 8-201

Abuse means:

• Inflicting or allowing physical injury, impairment of bodily function, or disfigurement

• Physical injury that results from permitting a child to enter or remain in any structure or vehicle in which 

volatile, toxic, or flammable chemicals are found or equipment is possessed by any person for the purpose of 

manufacturing a dangerous drug

• Unreasonable confinement of a child

Serious physical injury means an injury that is diagnosed by a medical doctor and that does any one or a combination of 

the following:

• Creates a reasonable risk of death

• Causes serious or permanent disfigurement

• Causes significant physical pain

• Causes serious impairment of health

• Causes the loss or protracted impairment of an organ or limb

• Is the result of sexual abuse, sexual conduct with a minor, sexual assault, molestation of a child, child prostitution, 

commercial sexual exploitation of a minor, sexual exploitation, or incest
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Neglect

Citation: Rev. Stat. § 8-201

Neglect or neglected means:

• The inability or unwillingness of a parent, guardian, or custodian of a child to provide that child with supervision, 

food, clothing, shelter or medical care if that inability or unwillingness causes unreasonable risk of harm to the 

child’s health or welfare

• Permitting a child to enter or remain in any structure or vehicle in which volatile, toxic, or flammable chemicals are 

found or equipment is possessed by any person for the purposes of manufacturing a dangerous drug

• A determination by a health professional that a newborn infant was exposed prenatally to a drug or substance 

listed in § 13-3401 and that this exposure was not the result of a medical treatment administered to the mother or 

the newborn infant by a health professional

• A diagnosis by a health professional of an infant under age 1 with clinical findings consistent with fetal alcohol 

syndrome or fetal alcohol effects

The determination by a health professional of prenatal exposure to a controlled substance shall be based on one or more 

of the following:

• Clinical indicators in the prenatal period, including maternal and newborn presentation

• History of substance use or abuse

• Medical history

• Results of a toxicology or other laboratory test on the mother or the newborn infant

Sexual Abuse/Exploitation

Citation: Rev. Stat. § 8-201

The term abuse includes: 

• Inflicting or allowing sexual abuse

• Sexual conduct with a minor 

• Sexual assault 

• Molestation of a child 

• Commercial sexual exploitation of a minor 

• Sexual exploitation of a minor 

• Incest 

• Child prostitution 

The term neglect includes:

• Deliberate exposure of a child by a parent, guardian, or custodian to sexual conduct, as defined in § 13-3551, or 

sexual contact, oral sexual contact, sexual intercourse, bestiality, or explicit sexual materials

• Any of the following acts committed by the child’s parent, guardian, or custodian with reckless disregard as to 

whether the child is physically present:

» Sexual contact

» Oral sexual contact

» Sexual intercourse

» Bestiality
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Emotional Abuse

Citation: Rev. Stat. § 8-201

The term abuse includes inflicting or allowing another person to cause serious emotional damage to a child, as 

evidenced by severe anxiety, depression, withdrawal, or untoward aggressive behavior, and such emotional damage 

is diagnosed by a medical doctor or psychologist, and the damage has been caused by the acts or omissions of an 

individual having care, custody, and control of a child.

Serious emotional injury means an injury that is diagnosed by a medical doctor or a psychologist and that does any one 

or a combination of the following:

• Seriously impairs mental faculties

• Causes serious anxiety, depression, withdrawal, or social dysfunction behavior to the extent that the child suffers 

dysfunction that requires treatment

• Is the result of sexual abuse, sexual conduct with a minor, sexual assault, molestation of a child, child prostitution, 

commercial sexual exploitation of a minor, sexual exploitation of a minor, or incest

Abandonment

Citation: Rev. Stat. § 8-201

Abandoned means:

• The failure of the parent to provide reasonable support and to maintain regular contact with the child, including 

providing normal supervision

• That a parent has made only minimal efforts to support and communicate with the child 

Failure to maintain a normal parental relationship with the child without just cause for a period of 6 months shall 

constitute prima facie evidence of abandonment. 

Standards for Reporting

Citation: Rev. Stat. § 13-3620

A report is required when a person reasonably believes that a child is or has been the victim of physical injury, abuse, or 

child abuse. 

Persons Responsible for the Child

Citation: Rev. Stat. § 8-201

Responsible persons include:

• The parent 

• A person having care, custody, and control of a child 

Exceptions

Citation: Rev. Stat. § 8-201

A dependent child does not include a child who, in good faith, is being furnished Christian Science treatment by a duly 

accredited practitioner.

A child is not considered neglected if a parent’s inability to meet the needs of the child is due solely to the unavailability 

of reasonable services. 
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Arkansas 

Physical Abuse

Citation: Ann. Code § 12-18-103

Abuse means:

• Extreme or repeated cruelty to a child

• Engaging in conduct creating a realistic and serious threat of death, permanent or temporary disfigurement, or 

impairment of a bodily organ

• An injury that is at variance with the history given

• Any nonaccidental physical injury

• Any of the following acts with physical injury:

» Throwing, kicking, burning, biting, or cutting a child

» Striking a child with a closed fist

» Shaking a child

» Striking a child on the face or head

• Any of the following acts with or without physical injury:

» Striking a child age 6 or younger on the face or head

» Shaking a child age 3 or younger

» Interfering with a child’s breathing

» Pinching, biting, or striking a child in the genital area

» Tying a child to a fixed or heavy object or binding or tying a child’s limbs together

» Giving a child or permitting a child to consume or inhale a poisonous or noxious substance not prescribed by a 

physician that has the capacity to interfere with normal physiological functions

» Giving a child or permitting a child to consume or inhale a substance not prescribed by a physician that has 

the capacity to alter the mood of the child, including, but not limited to, marijuana, alcohol for use other than 

during a recognized and established religious ceremony, a narcotic, or an over-the-counter drug if a person 

purposely administers an overdose or an inappropriate drug and the child is detrimentally affected

• Exposing a child to dangerous chemicals including, but not limited to, a chemical used or generated during the 

manufacture of methamphetamine

• Subjecting a child to Munchausen syndrome by proxy or a factitious illness by proxy if the incident is confirmed by 

medical personnel
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Neglect

Citation: Ann. Code § 12-18-103

Neglect means failure or refusal to:

• Prevent abuse of the child when the person knows or has reasonable cause to know the child is or has been 

abused

• Provide necessary food, clothing, shelter, and education required by law, or medical treatment necessary for the 

child’s well-being

• Take reasonable action to protect the child from abandonment, abuse, sexual abuse, sexual exploitation, neglect, 

or parental unfitness when the existence of the condition was known or should have been known

• Provide for essential and necessary physical, mental, or emotional needs of the child, including the failure to 

provide a shelter that does not pose a risk to the health or safety of the child

• Provide for the child’s care and maintenance, proper or necessary support, or medical, surgical, or other necessary 

care

• Assume responsibility for the care and custody of the child or to participate in a plan to assume such responsibility

• Appropriately supervise the child that results in the child being left alone at an inappropriate age or in 

inappropriate circumstances creating a dangerous situation or a situation that puts the child at risk of harm

Neglect shall also include:

• Causing a child to be born with an illegal substance in the child’s bodily fluids or bodily substances as a result of 

the pregnant mother knowingly using an illegal substance before the birth of the child

• At the time of the birth of a child, the presence of an illegal substance in the mother’s bodily fluids or bodily 

substances as a result of the pregnant mother knowingly using an illegal substance before the birth of the child

» An illegal substance is a drug that is prohibited to be used or possessed without a prescription.

» A test of the child’s or the mother’s bodily fluids or bodily substances may be used as evidence to establish 

neglect.
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Sexual Abuse/Exploitation

Citation: Ann. Code § 12-18-103

Sexual abuse means:

• By a person age 10 or older to a person younger than age 18:

» Sexual intercourse, deviate sexual activity, or sexual contact by forcible compulsion

» Attempted sexual intercourse, deviate sexual activity, or sexual contact by forcible compulsion

» Indecent exposure

» Forcing the watching of pornography or live sexual activity

• By a person age 18 or older to a person not his or her spouse who is younger than age 16:

» Sexual intercourse, deviate sexual activity, or sexual contact

» Attempted sexual intercourse, deviate sexual activity, or sexual contact

• By a caregiver to a person younger than age 18:

» Sexual intercourse, deviate sexual activity, or sexual contact

» Attempted sexual intercourse, deviate sexual activity, or sexual contact

» Forcing or encouraging the watching of pornography

» Forcing, permitting, or encouraging the watching of live sexual activity

» Forcing the listening to a phone sex line

» An act of voyeurism

• By a person younger than age 10 to a person younger than age 18:

» Sexual intercourse, deviate sexual activity, or sexual contact by forcible compulsion

» Attempted sexual intercourse, deviate sexual activity, or sexual contact by forcible compulsion

Sexual contact means an act of sexual gratification involving:

• Touching, directly or through clothing, the sex organs, buttocks, or anus of a person or the breast of a female

• Encouraging of a child to touch the offender in a sexual manner

• The offender requesting to touch a child in a sexual manner

Sexual exploitation means:

• Allowing, permitting, or encouraging participation or depiction of the child in prostitution, obscene photography, 

or obscene filming

• Obscenely depicting, posing, or posturing a child for any use or purpose

Emotional Abuse

Citation: Ann. Code § 12-18-103

The term abuse includes acts or omissions that result in injury to a child’s intellectual, emotional, or psychological 

development, as evidenced by observable and substantial impairment of the child’s ability to function within the child’s 

normal range of performance and behavior. 

Abandonment

Citation: Ann. Code § 12-18-103

Abandonment means: 

• Failure of the parent to provide reasonable support and to maintain regular contact with the child through 

statement or contact, when the failure is accompanied by an intention on the part of the parent to permit the 

condition to continue for an indefinite period in the future 

• Failure to support or maintain regular contact with the child without just cause 

• An articulated intent to forgo parental responsibility 

Standards for Reporting

Citation: Ann. Code § 12-18-402

A report is required when there is reasonable cause to suspect that a child has been subjected to child maltreatment. 
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Persons Responsible for the Child

Citation: Ann. Code § 12-18-103

Responsible persons include:

• A parent, guardian, or custodian 

• A foster parent 

• A person age 18 or older living in the child’s home, whether related or unrelated 

• A person who is entrusted with the child’s care, including, but not limited to, an agent or employee of a public 

or private residential home, child care facility, public or private school, or any person legally responsible for the 

child’s welfare 

Exceptions

Citation: Ann. Code § 12-18-103

Abuse does not include physical discipline of a child when it is reasonable and moderate and is inflicted by a parent or 

guardian for purposes of restraining or correcting the child.

Abuse shall not include when a child suffers transient pain or minor temporary marks as the result of an appropriate 

restraint if:

• The person exercising the restraint is an employee of an agency licensed or exempted from licensure under the 

Child Welfare Agency Licensing Act.

• The agency has policy and procedures regarding restraints.

• No alternative exists to control the child except for a restraint.

• The child is in danger or hurting himself or herself or others.

• The person exercising the restraint has been trained properly in restraining children, de-escalation, and conflict 

resolution techniques.

• The restraint is for a reasonable period of time.

• The restraint is in conformity with training and agency policy and procedures.

Reasonable and moderate physical discipline inflicted by a parent or guardian shall not include an act that is likely to 

cause and that does cause injury more serious than transient pain or minor temporary marks.

The age, size, and condition of the child, the location of the injury, and the frequency or recurrence of injuries shall be 

considered when determining whether the physical discipline is reasonable or moderate.

It is not considered neglect when the parent’s failure to provide for the child’s needs is due to financial inability, and no 

services or relief have been offered. 
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California

Physical Abuse

Citation: Welf. & Inst. Code § 300

A child may be considered dependent when:

• The child has suffered, or there is a substantial risk that the child will suffer, serious physical harm inflicted 

nonaccidentally upon the child by the child’s parent or guardian. For the purposes of this subdivision, a court 

may find there is a substantial risk of serious future injury based on the manner in which a less serious injury was 

inflicted, a history of repeated inflictions of injuries on the child or the child’s siblings, or a combination of these 

and other actions by the parent or guardian that indicate the child is at risk of serious physical harm.

• The child is younger than age 5 and has suffered severe physical abuse by a parent or by any person known by the 

parent, if the parent knew or reasonably should have known that the person was physically abusing the child. For 

the purposes of this subdivision, severe physical abuse means:

» Any single act of abuse that causes physical trauma of sufficient severity that, if left untreated, would cause 

permanent physical disfigurement, permanent physical disability, or death

» Any single act of sexual abuse that causes significant bleeding, deep bruising, or significant external or internal 

swelling

» More than one act of physical abuse, each of which causes bleeding, deep bruising, significant external or 

internal swelling, bone fracture, or unconsciousness

» The willful, prolonged failure to provide adequate food

• The child’s parent or guardian caused the death of another child through abuse or neglect.

• The child has been subjected to an act or acts of cruelty by the parent or guardian or a member of his or her 

household, or the parent or guardian has failed to adequately protect the child from an act or acts of cruelty when 

the parent or guardian knew or reasonably should have known that the child was in danger of being subjected to 

an act or acts of cruelty.

Neglect

Citation: Welf. & Inst. Code § 300

A child may be considered dependent when:

• The child has suffered, or there is a substantial risk that the child will suffer, serious physical harm or illness as a 

result of:

» The failure or inability of the parent or guardian to adequately supervise or protect the child

» The willful or negligent failure of the parent or guardian to adequately supervise or protect the child from the 

conduct of the custodian with whom the child has been left

» The willful or negligent failure of the parent or guardian to provide the child with adequate food, clothing, 

shelter, or medical treatment

» The inability of the parent or guardian to provide regular care for the child due to the parent’s or guardian’s 

mental illness, developmental disability, or substance abuse

• The child’s sibling has been abused or neglected, and there is a substantial risk that the child will be abused or 

neglected. The court shall consider the circumstances surrounding the abuse or neglect of the sibling, the age 

and gender of each child, the nature of the abuse or neglect of the sibling, the mental condition of the parent or 

guardian, and any other factors the court considers probative in determining whether there is a substantial risk to 

the child.
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Sexual Abuse/Exploitation

Citation: Welf. & Inst. Code § 300; Penal Code § 11165.1

A child is considered dependent if he or she has been sexually abused; there is a substantial risk that the child will be 

sexually abused, as defined in § 11165.1 of the Penal Code, by his or her parent, guardian, or a household member; or 

the parent or guardian has failed to adequately protect the child from sexual abuse when the parent or guardian knew or 

reasonably should have known that the child was in danger of sexual abuse.

Sexual abuse means sexual assault or sexual exploitation as defined below:

• Sexual assault includes rape, incest, sodomy, lewd or lascivious acts upon a child, or child molestation. 

• Sexual exploitation refers to any of the following:

» Depicting a minor engaged in obscene acts; preparing, selling, or distributing obscene matter that depicts 

minors; employing a minor to perform obscene acts 

» Knowingly permitting or encouraging a child to engage in, or assisting others to engage in, prostitution or 

a live performance involving obscene sexual conduct, or to either pose or model alone or with others for 

purposes of preparing a film, photograph, negative, slide, drawing, painting, or other pictorial depiction 

involving obscene sexual conduct

» Depicting a child in, or knowingly developing, duplicating, printing, or exchanging any film, photograph, 

videotape, negative, or slide in which a child is engaged in an act of obscene sexual conduct 

Emotional Abuse

Citation: Welf. & Inst. Code § 300

A child is considered dependent if he or she is suffering serious emotional damage, or is at substantial risk of suffering 

serious emotional damage, as evidenced by severe anxiety, depression, withdrawal, or untoward aggressive behavior 

toward self or others, as a result of the conduct of the parent or guardian, or who has no parent or guardian capable 

of providing appropriate care. No child shall be found to be a dependent person if the willful failure of the parent or 

guardian to provide adequate mental health treatment is based on a sincerely held religious belief and if a less intrusive 

judicial intervention is available. 

Abandonment

Citation: Welf. & Inst. Code § 300

A child is considered dependent when:

• The child has been left without any provision for support.

• Physical custody of the child has been voluntarily surrendered pursuant to § 1255.7 of the Health and Safety 

Code, and the child has not been reclaimed within the 14-day period specified in subdivision (e) of that section.

• The child’s parent has been incarcerated or institutionalized and cannot arrange for the care of the child.

• A relative or other adult custodian with whom the child resides or has been left is unwilling or unable to provide 

care or support for the child, the whereabouts of the parent are unknown, and reasonable efforts to locate the 

parent have been unsuccessful.

• The child has been freed for adoption by one or both parents for 12 months by either relinquishment or 

termination of parental rights or an adoption petition has not been granted.

Standards for Reporting

Citation: Penal Code § 11166

A report is required when there is a reasonable suspicion that a child is a victim of abuse or neglect.

Persons Responsible for the Child

Citation: Welf. & Inst. Code § 300

A person responsible for a child’s welfare includes the child’s parent or guardian. As used in this section, guardian means 

the legal guardian of the child. 
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Exceptions

Citation: Welf. & Inst. Code §§ 300; 300.5

Serious physical harm does not include reasonable and age-appropriate spanking to the buttocks where there is no 

evidence of serious physical injury.

No child shall be found to be dependent solely due to the lack of an emergency shelter for the family. 

A physical disability, such as blindness or deafness, is not considered a bar to raising happy and well-adjusted children 

unless a parent’s disability prevents him or her from exercising care and control.

A child whose parent has been adjudged a dependent child shall not be considered to be at risk of abuse or neglect 

solely because of the age, dependent status, or foster care status of the parent. 

In any case in which a child is alleged to be dependent on the basis that he or she is in need of medical care, the court, 

in making that finding, shall give consideration to any treatment being provided to the child by spiritual means through 

prayer alone in accordance with the tenets and practices of a recognized church or religious denomination by an 

accredited practitioner thereof. 

Colorado 

Physical Abuse

Citation: Rev. Stat. § 19-1-103

Abuse or child abuse or neglect means an act or omission that threatens the health or welfare of a child in one of the 

following categories: 

• Skin bruising, bleeding, malnutrition, failure to thrive, burns, fracture of any bone, subdural hematoma, soft tissue 

swelling, or death and either: 

» The condition or death is not justifiably explained.

» The history given concerning the condition is at variance with the degree or type of such condition or death.

» The circumstances indicate that the condition may not be the result of an accidental occurrence.

• A controlled substance is manufactured in the presence of a child, on the premises where a child is found, or 

where a child resides.

• A child tests positive at birth for either a schedule I or schedule II controlled substance, unless the child tests 

positive for a schedule II controlled substance as a result of the mother’s lawful intake of such substance as 

prescribed.
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Neglect

Citation: Rev. Stat. §§ 19-1-103; 19-3-102

The term child abuse or neglect includes any case in which a child is in need of services because the child’s parent has 

failed to provide adequate food, clothing, shelter, medical care, or supervision that a prudent parent would take.

A child is neglected or dependent if:

• The parent, guardian, or legal custodian has subjected the child to mistreatment or abuse or has allowed another 

to mistreat or abuse the child without taking lawful means to stop such mistreatment or abuse and prevent it from 

recurring.

• The child lacks proper parental care through the actions or omissions of the parent, guardian, or legal custodian.

• The child’s environment is injurious to his or her welfare.

• The parent, guardian, or legal custodian fails or refuses to provide the child with proper or necessary subsistence, 

education, medical care, or any other necessary care.

• The child is homeless, without proper care, or not domiciled with his or her parent, guardian, or legal custodian 

through no fault of such parent, guardian, or legal custodian.

• The child has run away from home or is otherwise beyond the control of his or her parent, guardian, or legal 

custodian.

• The child tests positive at birth for either a schedule I or schedule II controlled substance, unless the child tests 

positive for a schedule II controlled substance as a result of the mother’s lawful intake of such substance as 

prescribed.

Sexual Abuse/Exploitation

Citation: Rev. Stat. § 19-1-103

Abuse or child abuse or neglect occurs when a child is subjected to sexual assault or molestation, sexual exploitation, or 

prostitution. 

Sexual conduct includes any of the following: 

• Sexual intercourse, including genital-genital, oral-genital, anal-genital, or oral-anal, whether between persons of 

the same or opposite sex or between humans and animals 

• Penetration of the vagina or rectum by any object 

• Masturbation 

• Sexual sadomasochistic abuse 

Emotional Abuse

Citation: Rev. Stat. § 19-1-103

The terms abuse or child abuse or neglect include any case in which a child is subjected to emotional abuse. Emotional 

abuse means an identifiable and substantial impairment or a substantial risk of impairment of the child’s intellectual or 

psychological functioning or development. 

Abandonment

Citation: Rev. Stat. § 19-3-102

A child is neglected or dependent if a parent, guardian, or legal custodian has abandoned the child. 

Standards for Reporting

Citation: Rev. Stat. § 19-3-304

A report is required when there is reasonable cause to know or suspect that a child has been subjected to abuse or 

neglect. 
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Persons Responsible for the Child

Citation: Rev. Stat. § 19-1-103

Responsible person means a child’s parent, legal guardian, custodian, or any other person responsible for the child’s 

health and welfare. 

Spousal equivalent means a person who is in a family-type living arrangement with a parent and who would be a 

stepparent if married to that parent. 

Exceptions

Citation: Rev. Stat. §§ 19-1-103; 19-3-103

Those investigating cases of child abuse shall take into account child-rearing practices of the culture in which the child 

participates, including the work-related practices of agricultural communities. 

The reasonable exercise of parental discipline is not considered abuse.

No child who, in lieu of medical treatment, is under treatment solely by spiritual means through prayer in accordance 

with a recognized method of religious healing shall, for that reason only, be considered neglected. The religious rights of 

the parent shall not limit the access of a child to medical care in a life-threatening situation. 

Connecticut 

Physical Abuse

Citation: Gen. Stat. § 46b-120

Effective January 1, 2010

The term abused means that a child or youth: 

• Has been inflicted with physical injury or injuries by other than accidental means 

• Has injuries that are at variance with the history given of them 

• Is in a condition that is the result of maltreatment, that includes, but is not limited to, malnutrition, sexual 

molestation or exploitation, deprivation of necessities, emotional maltreatment, or cruel punishment 

Neglect

Citation: Gen. Stat. § 46b-120

Effective January 1, 2010

A child or youth may be found neglected who:

• Has been abandoned

• Is being denied proper care and attention physically, educationally, emotionally, or morally

• Is being permitted to live under conditions, circumstances, or associations injurious to the well-being of the child 

or youth

• Has been abused

A child or youth may be found uncared for who is homeless or whose home cannot provide the specialized care that the 

physical, emotional, or mental condition of the child requires. 

Sexual Abuse/Exploitation

Citation: Gen. Stat. § 46b-120

The term abuse includes sexual molestation or exploitation. 

Emotional Abuse

Citation: Gen. Stat. § 46b-120

The term abuse includes emotional maltreatment. 
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Abandonment

Citation: Gen. Stat. § 46b-120

A child or youth may be found neglected who has been abandoned.

Standards for Reporting

Citation: Gen. Stat. § 17a-101a

A report is required when there is reasonable cause to suspect that a child has been abused or neglected. 

Persons Responsible for the Child

Citation: Gen. Stat. § 46b-120

Responsible persons include the child’s parents or guardian.

Exceptions

Citation: Gen. Stat. § 46b-120

The treatment of any child by an accredited Christian Science practitioner, in lieu of treatment by a licensed practitioner 

of the healing arts, shall not of itself constitute neglect or maltreatment. 

Delaware

Physical Abuse

Citation: Ann. Code Tit. 16, § 902; Tit. 10, § 901

Abuse or abused child means a person:

• Causes or inflicts sexual abuse on a child

• Has care, custody, or control of a child, and causes or inflicts:

» Physical injury through unjustified force 

» Emotional abuse

» Torture

» Exploitation

» Maltreatment or mistreatment

Mistreatment or maltreatment are behaviors that inflict unnecessary or unjustifiable pain or suffering on a child without 

causing physical injury. Behaviors included consist of actions and omissions that are intentional and unintentional. 

Neglect

Citation: Ann. Code Tit. 16, § 902; Tit. 10, § 901

Neglect or neglected child means that a person who is responsible for the care, custody, and/or control of the child and 

has the ability and financial means to provide for the care of the child: 

• Fails to provide necessary food, clothing, shelter, education, health, medical, or other care necessary for the child’s 

emotional, physical, or mental health, or safety and general well-being

• Chronically and severely abuses alcohol or a controlled substance, is not active in treatment for such abuse, and 

the abuse threatens the child’s ability to receive care necessary for that child’s safety and general well-being

• Fails to provide necessary and appropriate supervision for a child when the child is unable to care for his or her 

own basic needs or safety, after considering such factors as the child’s age, mental ability, physical condition, the 

length of the caregiver’s absence, and the context of the child’s environment
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Sexual Abuse/Exploitation

Citation: Ann. Code Tit. 16, § 902; Tit. 10, § 901

The term abuse includes sexual abuse and exploitation. 

Sexual abuse means any act against a child that is described as a sex offense in § 761(g) of Title 11.

Exploitation means taking advantage of a child for unlawful or unjustifiable personal or sexual gain.

Emotional Abuse

Citation: Ann. Code Tit. 10, § 901

The term abuse includes emotional abuse. Emotional abuse means threats to inflict undue physical or emotional harm, 

and/or chronic or recurring incidents of ridiculing, demeaning, making derogatory remarks, or cursing.

Abandonment

This issue is not addressed in the statutes reviewed. 

Standards for Reporting

Citation: Ann. Code Tit. 16, § 903

A report is required when a person knows or in good faith suspects child abuse or neglect.

Persons Responsible for the Child

Citation: Ann. Code Tit. 16, § 902; Tit. 10, § 901

Those responsible for care custody and control shall mean a person or persons in a position of trust, authority, 

supervision, or control over a child. They include:

• A parent, guardian, or custodian

• Other members of the child’s family or household, including persons living together permanently or temporarily 

without regard to whether they are related to each other and without regard to the length of time or continuity of 

such residence, including persons who previously lived in the household such as paramours of a member of the 

child’s household

• Any person who is defined as family or relatives, regardless of whether a member of the child’s household

• Persons temporarily responsible for the child’s well-being or care such as a health-care provider, aide, teacher, 

instructor, coach, sitter, day care or child care provider, or any other person having regular direct contact with 

children through affiliation with a school, church, or religious institution, health-care facility, athletic or charitable 

organization or any other organization whether such a person is compensated or acting as a volunteer 

• Any person who has assumed control of or responsibility for the child

Exceptions

Citation: Ann. Code Tit. 16, § 913

No child who in good faith is under treatment solely by spiritual means through prayer in accordance with the practices 

of a recognized church or religious denomination shall for that reason alone be considered neglected. 

District of Columbia

Physical Abuse

Citation: Ann. Code § 16-2301

Abused, when used in reference to a child, means: 

• Infliction of physical or mental injury

• Sexual abuse or exploitation

• Negligent treatment or maltreatment
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Neglect

Citation: Ann. Code § 16-2301

Neglected child means a child:

• Whose parent, guardian, or custodian has failed to make reasonable efforts to prevent the infliction of abuse upon 

the child 

• Who is without proper parental care or control, subsistence, education, or other care or control necessary for his 

or her physical, mental, or emotional health 

• Whose parent, guardian, or other custodian is unable to discharge his or her responsibilities to and for the child 

because of incarceration, hospitalization, or other physical or mental incapacity 

• Whose parent, guardian, or custodian refuses or is unable to assume responsibility for the child’s care, control, or 

subsistence and the person or institution providing for the child states an intention to discontinue such care 

• Who is in imminent danger of being abused and another child living in the same household has been abused 

• Who has received negligent treatment or maltreatment 

• Who has resided in a hospital located in the District of Columbia for at least 10 calendar days following the its 

birth, despite a medical determination that the child is ready for discharge from the hospital, and the parent has 

not taken any action or made any effort to maintain a parental, guardianship, or custodial relationship or contact 

with the child 

• Who is born addicted or dependent on a controlled substance or has a significant presence of a controlled 

substance in his or her system at birth 

• In whose body there is a controlled substance as a direct and foreseeable consequence of the acts or omissions of 

the child’s parent 

• Who is regularly exposed to illegal drug-related activity in the home 

Negligent treatment or maltreatment means failure to provide adequate food, clothing, shelter, or medical care that 

includes medical neglect, and the deprivation is not due to the lack of financial means of his or her parent, guardian, or 

other custodian. 

Sexual Abuse/Exploitation

Citation: Ann. Code § 16-2301

Sexual abuse means: 

• Engaging in, or attempting to engage in, a sexual act or sexual contact with a child 

• Causing or attempting to cause a child to engage in sexually explicit conduct 

• Exposing the child to sexually explicit conduct 

Sexual exploitation occurs when a parent, guardian, or other custodian allows a child to engage in prostitution, or 

engages a child or allows a child to engage in obscene or pornographic photography, filming, or other forms of 

illustrating or promoting sexual conduct. 

Emotional Abuse

Citation: Ann. Code § 16-2301

Mental injury means harm to a child’s psychological or intellectual functioning that may be exhibited by severe 

anxiety, depression, withdrawal, outwardly aggressive behavior, or a combination of those behaviors, and that may be 

demonstrated by a change in behavior, emotional response, or cognition.

Abandonment

Citation: Ann. Code § 16-2301

The term neglected child includes a child who has been abandoned by his or her parent, guardian, or custodian. 

Standards for Reporting

Citation: Ann. Code § 4-1321.02

A report is required when a person knows or has reasonable cause to suspect that a child has been or is in immediate 

danger of being a mentally or physically abused or neglected child.
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Persons Responsible for the Child

Citation: Ann. Code § 16-2301

Responsible persons include a parent, guardian, or custodian. 

Exceptions

Citation: Ann. Code § 16-2301

It is not neglect when the child’s deprivation of parental care and control is due to a lack of financial means. 

No child who in good faith is under treatment solely by spiritual means through prayer, in accordance with the practices 

of a recognized church or religious denomination by a duly accredited practitioner, shall for that reason alone be 

considered neglected.

The term abused does not include parental discipline, as long as the discipline is reasonable in manner and moderate in 

degree, and otherwise does not constitute cruelty. The term discipline does not include: 

• Burning, biting, or cutting a child 

• Striking a child with a closed fist 

• Inflicting injury to a child by shaking, kicking, or throwing the child 

• Nonaccidental injury to a child younger than 18 months 

• Interfering with a child’s breathing 

• Threatening a child with a dangerous weapon or using such a weapon on a child 

Florida

Physical Abuse

Citation: Ann. Stat. § 39.01

Abuse means any willful act or threatened act that results in any physical, mental, or sexual injury or harm that causes or 

is likely to cause a child’s physical, mental, or emotional health to be significantly impaired. Abuse of a child includes acts 

or omissions.

Harm to a child’s health or welfare can occur when a person:

• Inflicts or allows to be inflicted upon the child physical, mental, or emotional injury

• Purposely gives a child poison, alcohol, drugs, or other substances that substantially affect the child’s behavior, 

motor coordination, or judgment or that result in sickness or internal injury

• Leaves a child without adult supervision or arrangement appropriate for the child’s age or mental or physical 

condition

• Uses inappropriate or excessively harsh discipline that is likely to result in physical injury, mental injury as defined 

in this section, or emotional injury 

• Commits or allows to be committed sexual battery against the child

• Allows, encourages, or forces the sexual exploitation of a child

• Abandons the child

• Neglects the child

• Exposes a child to a controlled substance or alcohol

• Uses mechanical devices, unreasonable restraints, or extended periods of isolation to control a child

• Engages in violent behavior that demonstrates a wanton disregard for the presence of a child and could 

reasonably result in serious injury to the child

• Negligently fails to protect a child in his or her care from inflicted physical, mental, or sexual injury caused by the 

acts of another

• Has allowed a child’s sibling to die as a result of abuse, abandonment, or neglect

• Makes the child unavailable for the purpose of impeding or avoiding a protective investigation unless the court 

determines that the parent, legal custodian, or caregiver was fleeing from a situation involving domestic violence
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Neglect

Citation: Ann. Stat. § 39.01

Neglect occurs when a child is deprived of, or is allowed to be deprived of, necessary food, clothing, shelter, or medical 

treatment or a child is permitted to live in an environment when such deprivation or environment causes the child’s 

physical, mental, or emotional health to be significantly impaired or to be in danger of being significantly impaired.

Sexual Abuse/Exploitation

Citation: Ann. Stat. § 39.01

Sexual abuse of a child means one or more of the following acts:

• Any penetration, however slight, of the vagina or anal opening of one person by the penis of another person, 

whether or not there is the emission of semen

• Any sexual contact between the genitals or anal opening of one person and the mouth or tongue of another 

person

• Any intrusion by one person into the genitals or anal opening of another person, including the use of any object 

for this purpose, not including any act intended for a valid medical purpose

• The intentional touching of the genitals or intimate parts, including the breasts, genital area, groin, inner thighs, 

and buttocks, or the clothing covering them, of either the child or the perpetrator, not including:

» An act that may reasonably be construed to be a normal caregiver responsibility or any interaction with or 

affection for a child

» An act intended for a valid medical purpose

• The intentional masturbation of the perpetrator’s genitals in the presence of a child

• The intentional exposure of the perpetrator’s genitals in the presence of a child, or any other sexual act 

intentionally perpetrated in the presence of a child, if such exposure or sexual act is for the purpose of sexual 

arousal or gratification, aggression, degradation, or other similar purpose

• The sexual exploitation of a child, including allowing, encouraging, or forcing a child to solicit for or engage in 

prostitution or engage in a sexual performance

Emotional Abuse

Citation: Ann. Stat. § 39.01

Mental injury means an injury to the intellectual or psychological capacity of a child as evidenced by a discernible and 

substantial impairment in the ability to function within the normal range of performance and behavior. 

Abandonment

Citation: Ann. Stat. § 39.01

Abandoned or abandonment occurs when the parent or legal custodian of a child or, in the absence of a parent or 

legal custodian, the caregiver, while being able, makes no provision for the child’s support and has failed to establish or 

maintain a substantial and positive relationship with the child.

For purposes of this subsection, establish or maintain a substantial and positive relationship includes, but is not 

limited to, frequent and regular contact with the child through frequent and regular visitation or frequent and regular 

communication to or with the child, and the exercise of parental rights and responsibilities. Marginal efforts and 

incidental or token visits or communications are not sufficient to establish or maintain a substantial and positive 

relationship with a child.

The term does not include a surrendered newborn infant as described in § 383.50, a child in need of services or a family 

in need of services as defined in chapter 984. The incarceration of a parent, legal custodian, or caregiver responsible for 

a child’s welfare may support a finding of abandonment.

Standards for Reporting

Citation: Ann. Stat. § 39.201

A report is required when a person knows, or has reasonable cause to suspect, that a child is abused, abandoned, or 

neglected. 
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Persons Responsible for the Child

Citation: Ann. Stat. § 39.01

Responsible persons include the child’s parent or legal custodian, or, in the absence of the parent or legal custodian, 

the child’s caregiver. The term caregiver includes the parent, legal custodian, adult household member, or other person 

responsible for a child’s welfare. 

Other person responsible for a child’s welfare includes:

• The child’s legal guardian or foster parent

• An employee of a private school, public or private child daycare center, residential home, institution, facility, or 

agency

• A law enforcement officer employed in any facility, service, or program for children that is operated or contracted 

by the Department of Juvenile Justice

• Any other person legally responsible for the child’s welfare in a residential setting

• An adult sitter or relative entrusted with a child’s care

Exceptions

Citation: Ann. Stat. § 39.01

Corporal discipline of a child by a parent does not in itself constitute abuse when it does not result in harm to the child. 

It shall not be considered neglect if failure to provide for the child is caused primarily by financial inability unless actual 

services for relief have been offered to and rejected by the parent. 

A parent legitimately practicing religious beliefs in accordance with a recognized church or religious organization who 

does not provide specific medical treatment for a child may not, for that reason alone, be considered a negligent parent. 

This exception does not preclude a court from ordering medical services or other treatment to be provided when the 

health of the child so requires. 

Georgia 

Physical Abuse

Citation: Ann. Code § 19-7-5(b)

Child abuse means physical injury or death inflicted upon a child by a parent or caregiver by other than accidental 

means. 

Neglect

Citation: Ann. Code § 19-7-5(b)

The term child abuse includes neglect or exploitation of a child by a parent or caregiver. 
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Sexual Abuse/Exploitation

Citation: Ann. Code § 19-7-5(b)

Sexual abuse occurs when a person employs, uses, persuades, induces, entices, or coercesg a minor who is not that 

person’s spouse to engage in any act that involves: 

• Sexual intercourse, including genital-genital, oral-genital, anal-genital, or oral-anal, whether between persons of 

the same or opposite sex 

• Bestiality or masturbation 

• Lewd exhibition of the genitals or pubic area of any person 

• Flagellation or torture by or upon a person who is nude 

• Condition of being fettered, bound, or otherwise physically restrained on the part of a person who is nude 

• Physical contact in an act of apparent sexual stimulation or gratification with any person’s clothed or unclothed 

genitals, pubic area, or buttocks or with a female’s clothed or unclothed breasts 

• Defecation or urination for the purpose of sexual stimulation 

• Penetration of the vagina or rectum by any object except when done as part of a recognized medical procedure 

Sexual exploitation means conduct by any person who allows, permits, encourages, or requires a child to engage in 

prostitution or sexually explicit conduct for the purpose of producing a visual or print medium depicting such conduct.

Emotional Abuse

This issue is not addressed in the statutes reviewed.

Abandonment

This issue is not addressed in the statutes reviewed.

Standards for Reporting

Citation: Ann. Code § 19-7-5(b)

A report is required when there is reasonable cause to believe that a child is abused. 

Persons Responsible for the Child

Citation: Ann. Code § 19-7-5(b)

The term responsible person includes the parent or caregiver. 

Exceptions

Citation: Ann. Code § 19-7-5(b)

Physical forms of discipline may be used as long as there is no physical injury to the child. 

No child who in good faith is being treated solely by spiritual means through prayer in accordance with the tenets and 

practices of a recognized church or religious denomination by a duly accredited practitioner thereof shall, for that reason 

alone, be considered to be an abused child. 

Sexual abuse does not include consensual sex acts between persons of the opposite sex who are minors or a minor and 

adult who is no more than 5 years older than the minor. 
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Guam 

Physical Abuse

Citation: Ann. Code Tit. 19, § 13101

Abused or neglected child means a child whose physical or mental health or welfare is harmed or threatened with harm 

by the acts or omissions of the person or persons responsible for the child’s welfare. 

Harm to a child’s physical health or welfare occurs in cases in which there exists evidence of injury, including but not 

limited to: 

• A case in which the child exhibits evidence of skin bruising or other internal bleeding, an injury to skin causing 

bleeding, burns, poisoning, fracture of any bone, subdural hematoma, soft tissue swelling, extreme pain, or death

• Disfigurement or impairment of a bodily organ, and such injury is inflicted by other than accidental means, by 

excessive corporal punishment, or where the history given concerning such condition or death is at variance with 

the degree or type of such condition or death

• A case in which the child is provided with a controlled substance, except for drugs prescribed by a medical 

practitioner

Neglect

Citation: Ann. Code Tit. 19, § 13101

The term abused or neglected child includes a child whose physical or mental health or welfare is harmed or threatened 

with harm by the acts or omissions of the person or persons responsible for the child’s welfare.

Harm to a child’s physical health or welfare includes a case in which the physical health of the child is adversely affected 

because the person responsible for the child’s welfare has not regularly provided the child, in a timely manner, with 

adequate food, clothing, shelter, psychological care, physical care, health care, or supervision, when able to financially or 

if offered financial assistance, health care, or other reasonable means to do so. 

Sexual Abuse/Exploitation

Citation: Ann. Code Tit. 19, § 13101

Harm to a child’s physical health or welfare occurs in a case in which there exists evidence of injury, including but not 

limited to a case in which the child has been the victim of a sexual offense, as defined in the Criminal and Correctional 

Code. 

Emotional Abuse

Citation: Ann. Code Tit. 19, § 13101

The term abused or neglected child includes a child whose mental health or welfare is harmed or threatened with harm 

by the acts or omissions of the person or persons responsible for the child’s welfare. 

Harm occurs when there exists injury to the psychological capacity of a child such as failure to thrive, extreme mental 

distress, or gross emotional or verbal degradation, as is evidenced by an observable and substantial impairment in the 

child’s ability to function within a normal range of performance with due regard to the child’s culture. 

Abandonment

Citation: Ann. Code Tit. 19, § 13101

Abandonment means the desertion or willful forsaking of a minor by the person responsible for the child’s welfare under 

circumstances in which a reasonable person would continue to provide care or custody. 

The term harm includes a case in which the child has been abandoned. 

Standards for Reporting

Citation: Ann. Code Tit. 19, § 13202

A report must be made when there is reasonable cause to suspect that a child is an abused or neglected child.
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Persons Responsible for the Child

Citation: Ann. Code Tit. 19, § 13101

A person responsible for the child’s welfare includes:

• The child’s parent, guardian, or foster parent

• An employee of a public or private residential home or an institution or authorized agency responsible for the 

child’s welfare

The term family includes each legal parent, the grandparents, each parent’s spouse, each sibling or person related by 

consanguinity up to the second degree or by marriage, each person residing in the same dwelling unit, and any other 

person or legal entity that is a child’s legal or physical custodian or guardian, or who is otherwise responsible for the 

child’s care.

Exceptions

Citation: Ann. Code Tit. 19, § 13101

A person responsible for the child’s welfare who, while legitimately practicing his or her religious beliefs, does not specify 

medical treatment for the child should not for that reason alone be considered as harming or threatening harm to the 

child. 

Hawaii 

Physical Abuse

Citation: Rev. Stat. § 350-1

Child abuse or neglect means acts or omissions that have resulted in the physical health or welfare of the child, who is 

under age 18, to be harmed or to be subject to a reasonably foreseeable, substantial risk of being harmed. The acts or 

omissions are indicated for the purposes of reports by circumstances that include but are not limited to: 

• When the child exhibits evidence of any of the following injuries, and such injury is not justifiably explained, or 

when the history given concerning such condition or death is at variance with the degree or type of such condition 

or death, or circumstances indicate that such condition or death may not be the product of an accidental 

occurrence:

» Substantial or multiple skin bruising or other internal bleeding

» An injury to skin causing substantial bleeding 

» Malnutrition or failure to thrive 

» Burns or poisoning 

» Fracture of any bone 

» Subdural hematoma or soft tissue swelling 

» Extreme pain or mental distress 

» Gross degradation 

» Death 

• When the child is provided with dangerous, harmful, or detrimental drugs; provided that this paragraph shall not 

apply when such drugs are provided to the child pursuant to the direction or prescription of a practitioner 

Neglect

Citation: Rev. Stat. § 350-1

Child neglect occurs when a child is not provided in a timely manner with adequate food, clothing, shelter, psychological 

care, physical care, medical care, or supervision. 
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Sexual Abuse/Exploitation

Citation: Rev. Stat. § 350-1

The term child abuse or neglect includes instances when the child has been the victim of: 

• Sexual contact or conduct including, but not limited to, sexual assault 

• Molestation or sexual fondling 

• Incest 

• Prostitution

• Obscene or pornographic photographing, filming, or depiction, or other similar forms of sexual exploitation 

Emotional Abuse

Citation: Rev. Stat. § 350-1

The term child abuse or neglect includes acts or omissions that have resulted in injury to the psychological capacity of a 

child as is evidenced by an observable and substantial impairment in the child’s ability to function. 

Abandonment

This issue is not addressed in the statutes reviewed. 

Standards for Reporting

Citation: Rev. Stat. § 350-1.1

A report is required when there is reason to believe that child abuse or neglect has occurred or that there exists a 

substantial risk that child abuse or neglect may occur in the reasonably foreseeable future.

Persons Responsible for the Child

Citation: Rev. Stat. § 350-1

A responsible person is any person who, or legal entity that, is: 

• In any manner or degree related to the child 

• Residing with the child 

• Otherwise responsible for the child’s care 

Exceptions

No exceptions are specified in statute. 

Idaho 

Physical Abuse

Citation: Idaho Code § 16-1602

Abused means any case in which a child has been the victim of conduct or omission resulting in skin bruising, bleeding, 

malnutrition, burns, fracture of any bone, subdural hematoma, soft tissue swelling, failure to thrive, or death, and such 

condition or death is not justifiably explained; the history given concerning such condition or death is at variance with 

the degree or type of such condition or death; or the circumstances indicate that such condition or death may not be the 

product of an accidental occurrence.
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Neglect

Citation: Idaho Code § 16-1602

Neglected means a child: 

• Who is without proper parental care and control, subsistence, medical, or other care necessary for his or her wellbeing because of the conduct or omission of his or her parents, guardian, or other custodian, or their neglect or 

refusal to provide them 

• Whose parents, guardian, or other custodian is unable to discharge his or her responsibilities to and for the child 

and, as a result of such inability, the child lacks the parental care necessary for his or her health, safety, or wellbeing 

• Who has been placed for care or adoption in violation of the law

• Who is without proper education because of the failure to comply with § 33-202 

Sexual Abuse/Exploitation

Citation: Idaho Code § 16-1602

The term abused applies to any case in which a child has been the victim of sexual conduct, including rape, molestation, 

incest, prostitution, obscene or pornographic photographing, filming or depiction for commercial purposes, or other 

similar forms of sexual exploitation that harms or threatens the child’s health, welfare, or mental health.

Emotional Abuse

Citation: Idaho Code § 16-1602

Mental injury means a substantial impairment in the intellectual or psychological ability of a child to function within a 

normal range of performance and/or behavior, for short or long terms. 

Abandonment

Citation: Idaho Code § 16-1602

Abandoned means the failure of the parent to maintain a normal parental relationship with his or her child, including but 

not limited to reasonable support or regular personal contact. Failure to maintain this relationship without just cause for a 

period of 1 year shall constitute prima facie evidence of abandonment.

Standards for Reporting

Citation: Idaho Code § 16-1605

A report is required when there is reason to believe that a child younger than age 18 has been abused, abandoned, or 

neglected.

Persons Responsible for the Child

Citation: Idaho Code § 16-1602

Responsible persons include the parent, guardian, or other custodian.

Exceptions

Citation: Idaho Code § 16-1602

No child whose parent chooses for the child treatment by prayers through spiritual means alone in lieu of medical 

treatment shall be deemed for that reason alone to be neglected. This exception shall not prevent the court from 

ordering emergency medical treatment when the child’s life is endangered. 
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Illinois 

Physical Abuse

Citation: Comp. Stat. Ch. 325, § 5/3

Abused child means a child whose parent, immediate family member, any person responsible for the child’s welfare, any 

individual residing in the same home as the child, or a paramour of the child’s parent: 

• Inflicts, causes or allows to be inflicted, or creates a substantial risk of physical injury by other than accidental 

means, that causes death, disfigurement, impairment of physical or emotional health, or loss or impairment of any 

bodily function 

• Commits or allows to be committed an act or acts of torture upon the child 

• Inflicts excessive corporal punishment 

• Commits or allows to be committed the offense of female genital mutilation 

• Causes a controlled substance to be sold, transferred, distributed, or given to the child under age 18, in violation 

of the Illinois Controlled Substances Act or Methamphetamine Control and Community Protection Act

Neglect

Citation: Comp. Stat. Ch. 325, § 5/3

Neglected child means any child who:

• Is not receiving proper or necessary nourishment or medically indicated treatment, including food or care, that 

is not provided solely on the basis of the present or anticipated mental or physical impairment as determined by 

a physician, or otherwise is not receiving the proper or necessary support or medical or other remedial care as 

necessary for a child’s well-being 

• Is not receiving other care necessary for his or her well-being, including adequate food, clothing, and shelter

• Has been provided with interim crisis intervention services under chapter 705, § 405/3-5 and whose parent, 

guardian, or custodian refuses to permit the child to return home and no other living arrangement agreeable to 

the parent, guardian, or custodian can be made, and the parent, guardian, or custodian has not made any other 

appropriate living arrangement for the child 

• Is a newborn infant whose blood, urine, or meconium contains any amount of a controlled substance or a 

metabolite thereof 

Sexual Abuse/Exploitation

Citation: Comp. Stat. Ch. 325, § 5/3

The term abused child includes a child whose parent, immediate family member, person responsible for the child’s 

welfare, individual residing in the same home as the child, or paramour of the child’s parent commits or allows to be 

committed any sex offense against the child. 

Emotional Abuse

Citation: Comp. Stat. Ch. 325, § 5/3

The term abused child includes impairment or substantial risk of impairment to the child’s emotional health.

Abandonment

Citation: Comp. Stat. Ch. 325, § 5/3

The term neglected child includes a child who is abandoned by his or her parents or other person responsible for the 

child’s welfare without a proper plan of care. 

Standards for Reporting

Citation: Comp. Stat. Ch. 325, § 5/4

A report is required when there is reasonable cause to believe that a child may be an abused or neglected child. 
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Persons Responsible for the Child

Citation: Comp. Stat. Ch. 325, § 5/3

A person responsible for the child’s welfare includes: 

• The child’s parent, guardian, foster parent, or relative caregiver 

• Any person responsible for the child’s welfare in a public or private residential agency, institution, or child care 

facility 

• Any other person responsible for the child’s welfare at the time of the alleged abuse or neglect, including an 

immediate family member, any person residing in the child’s home, or a paramour of the child’s parent 

• A person who came to know the child through an official capacity or position of trust, including but not limited to 

health-care professionals, educational personnel, recreational supervisors, members of the clergy, and volunteers 

or support personnel in any setting where children may be subject to abuse or neglect 

Exceptions

Citation: Comp. Stat. Ch. 325, § 5/3

A child shall not be considered abused or neglected if: 

• The child is a newborn who has been relinquished in accordance with the Abandoned Newborn Infant Protection 

Act. 

• The presence of a controlled substance in a child or a newborn is the result of medical treatment. 

• The child has been left in the care of an adult relative. 

• The child’s parent relies on spiritual means through prayer for the treatment of disease. 

• The child is not attending school as required by the School Act. 

Indiana

Physical Abuse

Citation: Ann. Code § 31-34-1-2

A child is a child in need of services if, before the child becomes age 18, the child’s physical or mental health is seriously 

endangered due to injury by the act or omission of the child’s parent, guardian, or custodian. 

Evidence that the illegal manufacture of a drug or controlled substance is occurring on property where a child resides 

creates a rebuttable presumption that the child’s physical or mental health is seriously endangered. 

Neglect

Citation: Ann. Code §§ 31-34-1-1; 31-34-1-9; 31-34-1-10; 31-34-1-11

A child is a child in need of services if, before the child becomes age 18: 

• The child’s physical or mental condition is seriously impaired or seriously endangered as a result of the inability, 

refusal, or neglect of the child’s parent, guardian, or custodian to supply the child with necessary food, clothing, 

shelter, medical care, education, or supervision. 

• The child is born with fetal alcohol syndrome, or any amount, including a trace amount, of a controlled substance 

or a legend drug in the child’s body. 

• The child has an injury, abnormal physical or psychological development, or is at a substantial risk of a lifethreatening condition that arises or is substantially aggravated because the child’s mother used alcohol, a 

controlled substance, or a legend drug during pregnancy. 

A child in need of services includes a child with a disability who is deprived of nutrition that is necessary to sustain life, 

or is deprived of medical or surgical intervention that is necessary to remedy or ameliorate a life-threatening medical 

condition if the nutritional, medical, or surgical intervention is generally provided to similarly situated children with or 

without disabilities. 
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Sexual Abuse/Exploitation

Citation: Ann. Code §§ 31-34-1-3; 31-34-1-4; 31-34-1-5

A child is a child in need of services if, before the child becomes age 18, the child is the victim, lives in the same 

household as another child who was the victim, or lives in the same household as the adult who was convicted of a sex 

offense, as defined in the criminal statutes, pertaining to: 

• Rape 

• Criminal deviate conduct 

• Child molesting 

• Child exploitation or possession of child pornography 

• Child seduction 

• Sexual misconduct with a minor 

• Indecent exposure 

• Prostitution 

• Incest 

A child is a child in need of services if, before the child becomes age 18, the child’s parent, guardian, or custodian allows 

the child: 

• To participate in an obscene performance 

• To commit a sex offense prohibited by criminal statute 

Emotional Abuse

Citation: Ann. Code § 31-34-1-2

A child is a child in need of services if the child’s mental health is seriously endangered by the act or omission of the 

child’s parent, guardian, or custodian.

Abandonment

Citation: Ann. Code § 31-9-2-0.5

Abandoned infant means: 

• A child who is less than 12 months old and whose parent, guardian, or custodian has knowingly or intentionally 

left the child in an environment that endangers the child’s life or heath or in a hospital or medical facility and has 

no reasonable plan to assume the care, custody, and control of the child 

• A child who is, or appears to be, not more than 45 days old and whose parent has knowingly and intentionally left 

the child with an emergency medical services provider and did not express an intent to return for the child 

Standards for Reporting

Citation: Ann. Code § 31-33-51

A report is required when an individual has reason to believe that a child is a victim of child abuse or neglect.

Persons Responsible for the Child

Citation: Ann. Code §§ 31-9-2-0.5; 31-34-1-1 through 31-34-1-5

Responsible persons include the child’s parent, guardian, or custodian.
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Exceptions

Citation: Ann. Code §§ 31-34-1-12; 31-34-1-14; 31-34-1-15

A child is not a child in need of services if: 

• The presence of a controlled substance was from a valid medical prescription. 

• A parent fails to provide specific medical treatment for a child because of legitimate and genuine religious beliefs. 

This presumption does not do any of the following: 

» Prevent a court from ordering medical services when the health of the child requires it 

» Apply to situations in which the child’s life or health is in serious danger 

This chapter does not limit: 

• The right of the parent to use reasonable corporal punishment to discipline the child 

• The lawful practice or teaching of religious beliefs 

Iowa 

Physical Abuse

Citation: Ann. Stat. § 232.68

Child abuse or abuse means any nonaccidental physical injury, or injury that is at variance with the history given of it, 

suffered by a child as the result of acts or omissions of a person responsible for the care of the child. 

Neglect

Citation: Ann. Stat. § 232.68

The terms child abuse or abuse include: 

• The failure on the part of a person responsible for the care of a child to provide adequate food, shelter, clothing, 

or other care necessary for the child’s health and welfare when financially able to do so or when offered financial or 

other reasonable means to do so 

• The presence of an illegal drug in a child’s body as a direct and foreseeable consequence of the acts or omissions 

of the person responsible for the care of the child 

• That the person responsible for the care of a child has, in the presence of the child, manufactured a dangerous 

substance or possesses a product containing ephedrine, its salts, optical isomers, salts of optical isomers, or 

pseudoephedrine, its salts, optical isomers, or salts of optical isomers, with the intent to use the product as a 

precursor or an intermediary to a dangerous substance

• Knowingly allowing a person to have custody or control of, or unsupervised access to a child after knowing the 

person is required to register or is on the sex offender registry 

Sexual Abuse/Exploitation

Citation: Ann. Stat. § 232.68

The terms child abuse or abuse include: 

• Committing of a sexual offense with or to a child 

• Allowing, permitting, or encouraging the child to engage in prostitution 

• Committing of bestiality in the presence of a minor by a person who resides in a home with a child, as a result of 

the acts or omissions of a person responsible for the care of the child 

Emotional Abuse

Citation: Ann. Stat. § 232.68

The terms child abuse or abuse include any mental injury to a child’s intellectual or psychological capacity as evidenced 

by an observable and substantial impairment in the child’s ability to function within the child’s normal range of 

performance and behavior as the result of the acts or omissions of a person responsible for the care of the child, if the 

impairment is diagnosed and confirmed by a licensed physician or qualified mental health professional.
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Abandonment

This issue is not addressed in the statutes reviewed. 

Standards for Reporting

Citation: Ann. Stat. § 232.69

A report is required when a person reasonably believes that a child has suffered abuse. 

Persons Responsible for the Child

Citation: Ann. Stat. § 232.68

Person responsible for the care of a child means: 

• A parent, guardian, or foster parent 

• A relative or any other person with whom the child resides who assumes care or supervision of the child, without 

reference to the length of time or continuity of such residence 

• An employee or agent of a public or private facility providing care for a child

• Any person providing care for a child but with whom the child does not reside, without reference to the duration 

of care 

Exceptions

Citation: Ann. Stat. § 232.68

A parent or guardian legitimately practicing religious beliefs who does not provide specified medical treatment for 

a child for that reason alone shall not be considered abusing the child. This provision shall not preclude a court from 

ordering that medical service be provided to the child where the child’s health requires it. 

Kansas 

Physical Abuse

Citation: Ann. Stat. § 38-2202

Physical, mental, or emotional abuse means the infliction of physical, mental, or emotional harm, or the causing of a 

deterioration of a child, and may include, but shall not be limited to, maltreatment or exploiting a child to the extent that 

the child’s health or emotional well-being is endangered. 

Neglect

Citation: Ann. Stat. § 38-2202

Neglect means acts or omissions by a parent, guardian, or person responsible for the care of a child that results in harm 

to a child or presents a likelihood of harm, and the acts or omissions are not due solely to the lack of financial means of 

the child’s parents or other custodian. Neglect may include but shall not be limited to: 

• Failure to provide the child with food, clothing, or shelter necessary to sustain life or health

• Failure to provide adequate supervision of a child or to remove a child from a situation that requires judgment or 

actions beyond the child’s level of maturity, physical condition, or mental abilities and that results in bodily injury 

or a likelihood of harm to the child 

• Failure to use resources available to treat a diagnosed medical condition if such treatment will make a child 

substantially more comfortable, reduce pain and suffering, or correct or substantially diminish a crippling condition 

from worsening 

Sexual Abuse/Exploitation

Citation: Ann. Stat. § 38-2202

Sexual abuse means any contact or interaction with a child in which the child is being used for the sexual stimulation 

of the perpetrator, the child, or another person. Sexual abuse includes allowing, permitting, or encouraging a child to 

engage in prostitution or to be photographed, filmed, or depicted in pornographic material. 
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Emotional Abuse

Citation: Ann. Stat. § 38-2202

The term physical, mental, or emotional abuse includes the infliction of physical, mental, or emotional harm or the 

causing of a deterioration of a child and may include, but is not limited to, maltreatment or exploiting a child to the 

extent that the child’s health or emotional well-being is endangered.

Abandonment

Citation: Ann. Stat. § 38-2202

Abandon or abandonment means to forsake, desert, or cease providing care for the child without making appropriate 

provisions for substitute care. 

Standards for Reporting

Citation: Ann. Stat. § 38-2223

A report is required when there is reason to suspect that a child has been harmed as a result of physical, mental, or 

emotional abuse or neglect or sexual abuse. 

Persons Responsible for the Child

Citation: Ann. Stat. § 38-2202

Parent, when used in relation to a child or children, includes a guardian and every person who is by law liable to 

maintain, care for, or support the child.

Exceptions

Citation: Ann. Stat. § 38-2202

A parent legitimately practicing religious beliefs who does not provide specified medical treatment for a child because of 

religious beliefs shall not for that reason be considered a negligent parent. This exception shall not preclude a court from 

ordering medical treatment for the child. 

Kentucky

Physical Abuse

Citation: Rev. Stat. § 600.020

Abused or neglected child means a child whose health or welfare is harmed or threatened with harm when his or her 

parent, guardian, or other person exercising custodial control or supervision: 

• Inflicts or allows to be inflicted upon the child physical or emotional injury by other than accidental means 

• Creates or allows to be created a risk of physical or emotional injury to the child by other than accidental means 

Physical injury means substantial physical pain or any impairment of physical condition. 

Serious physical injury means physical injury that creates a substantial risk of death, or causes serious and prolonged 

disfigurement, prolonged impairment of health, or prolonged loss or impairment of the function of any bodily member 

or organ.
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Neglect

Citation: Rev. Stat. § 600.020

The term abused or neglected child includes a child whose health or welfare is harmed or threatened with harm when his 

or her parent, guardian, or other person exercising custodial control or supervision: 

• Engages in a pattern of conduct that renders the parent incapable of caring for the immediate and ongoing needs 

of the child, including, but not limited to, parental incapacity due to alcohol and other drug abuse 

• Continuously or repeatedly fails or refuses to provide essential parental care and protection for the child, 

considering the age of the child

• Does not provide the child with adequate care, supervision, food, clothing, shelter, education, or medical care 

necessary for the child’s well-being 

• Fails to make sufficient progress toward identified goals as set forth in the court-approved case plan to allow 

for the safe return of the child to the parent that results in the child remaining committed to the cabinet and 

remaining in foster care for 15 of the most recent 22 months

Sexual Abuse/Exploitation

Citation: Rev. Stat. § 600.020

The term abused or neglected child includes a child whose health or welfare is harmed or threatened with harm when his 

or her parent, guardian, or other person exercising custodial control or supervision: 

• Commits or allows to be committed an act of sexual abuse, sexual exploitation, or prostitution upon the child 

• Creates or allows to be created a risk that an act of sexual abuse, sexual exploitation, or prostitution will be 

committed upon the child 

Sexual abuse includes, but is not necessarily limited to, any contacts or interactions in which the parent or guardian uses 

or allows, permits, or encourages the use of the child for the purposes of sexual stimulation of the perpetrator or another 

person. 

Sexual exploitation includes, but is not limited to, allowing, permitting, or encouraging the child to engage in 

prostitution, or an act of obscene or pornographic photographing, filming, or depicting of a child. 

Emotional Abuse

Citation: Rev. Stat. § 600.020

Emotional injury means an injury to the mental or psychological capacity or emotional stability of a child as evidenced 

by a substantial and observable impairment in the child’s ability to function within a normal range of performance and 

behavior with due regard to his or her age, development, culture, and environment, as testified to by a qualified mental 

health professional.

Abandonment

Citation: Rev. Stat. § 600.020

The term abused or neglected child includes a child whose health or welfare is harmed or threatened with harm when his 

or her parent, guardian, or other person exercising custodial control or supervision abandons the child. 

Standards for Reporting

Citation: Rev. Stat. § 600.030

A report is required when a person knows or has reasonable cause to believe that a child is dependent, neglected, or 

abused.

Persons Responsible for the Child

Citation: Rev. Stat. § 600.020

Persons responsible for the child include:

• A parent who is the biological or adoptive mother or father of a child 

• A person exercising custodial control and supervision or an agency that has assumed the role and responsibility of 

a parent or guardian for the child but does not necessarily have legal custody of the child 
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Exceptions

Citation: Rev. Stat. § 600.020

A parent or other person exercising custodial control or supervision of the child who is legitimately practicing his or her 

religious beliefs shall not be considered a negligent parent because of failure to provide specified medical treatment for 

a child for that reason alone. This exception shall not preclude a court from ordering necessary medical services for a 

child. 

Louisiana

Physical Abuse

Citation: Ch. Code art. 603

Abuse means any one of the following acts that seriously endanger the physical, mental, or emotional health and safety 

of the child: 

• The infliction, attempted infliction, or, as a result of inadequate supervision, the allowance of the infliction or 

attempted infliction of physical or mental injury upon the child by a parent or any other person 

• Exploitation or overwork of a child by a parent or any other person 

Crime against the child means the commission or attempted commission of a crime, including homicide, battery, assault, 

kidnapping, criminal neglect, contributing to the delinquency or dependency of a minor, the sale of minor children, or 

cruelty to juveniles. 

Neglect

Citation: Ch. Code art. 603

Neglect means the refusal or unreasonable failure of a parent or caregiver to supply the child with necessary food, 

clothing, shelter, care, treatment, or counseling for any injury, illness, or condition of the child, as a result of which the 

child’s physical, mental, or emotional health and safety is substantially threatened or impaired. Neglect includes prenatal 

neglect. 

Prenatal neglect means exposure to chronic or severe use of alcohol, or the unlawful use of any controlled dangerous 

substance or in a manner not lawfully prescribed, that results in symptoms of withdrawal in the newborn or the presence 

of a controlled substance or a metabolic thereof in the child’s body, blood, urine, or meconium that is not the result of 

medical treatment; or observable and harmful effects in the child’s physical appearance or functioning.

Sexual Abuse/Exploitation

Citation: Ch. Code art. 603

The term abuse includes any one of the following acts that seriously endanger the physical, mental, or emotional health 

of the child: 

• The involvement of the child in any sexual act with a parent or any other person 

• The aiding or toleration by the parent or caregiver of the child’s sexual involvement with any other person 

• The aiding or toleration by the parent of the child’s involvement in pornographic displays 

• Any other involvement of a child in sexual activity constituting a crime under the laws of the State 

Child pornography means visual depiction of a child engaged in actual or simulated sexual intercourse, deviate sexual 

intercourse, sexual bestiality, masturbation, sadomasochistic abuse, or lewd exhibition of the genitals. 

A crime against a child includes rape, sexual battery, incest, carnal knowledge of a juvenile, indecent behavior with a 

juvenile, pornography involving juveniles, a crime against nature, or molestation of a juvenile. 

Emotional Abuse

Citation: Ch. Code art. 603

The term abuse includes any act that seriously endangers the mental or emotional health of the child or inflicts mental 

injury. 
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Abandonment

Citation: Ch. Code art. 603

A crime against the child includes criminal abandonment of a child. 

Standards for Reporting

Citation: Ch. Code art. 609

A report is required when there is cause to believe that a child’s physical or mental health or welfare is endangered as a 

result of abuse or neglect. 

Persons Responsible for the Child

Citation: Ch. Code art. 603

The term caretaker [caregiver] means any person legally obligated to provide or secure adequate care for a child, 

including a parent, tutor, guardian, legal custodian, foster home parent, an employee of a public or private daycare 

center, operator or employee of a family daycare home, or other person providing a residence for the child. 

Exceptions

Citation: Ch. Code art. 603

The inability of a parent or caregiver to provide for a child due to inadequate financial resources shall not, for that reason 

alone, be considered neglect. 

Whenever, in lieu of medical care, a child is being provided treatment in accordance with the tenets of a well-recognized 

religious method of healing that has a reasonable, proven record of success, the child shall not, for that reason alone, be 

considered to be neglected or maltreated. Nothing in this section shall prohibit the court from ordering medical services 

for the child when there is substantial risk of harm to the child’s health or welfare. 

Maine 

Physical Abuse

Citation: Ann. Stat. Tit. 22, § 4002

Abuse or neglect means a threat to a child’s health or welfare by physical, mental, or emotional injury or impairment, 

sexual abuse or exploitation, deprivation of essential needs, or lack of protection from these, or failure to ensure 

compliance with school attendance requirements under Title 20-A, § 3272(2)(B), or § 5051-A(1)(C), by a person 

responsible for the child.

Jeopardy to health or welfare or jeopardy means serious abuse or neglect, as evidenced by serious harm or threat of 

serious harm. 

Serious harm means serious injury. Serious injury means serious physical injury or impairment. 

Neglect

Citation: Ann. Stat. Tit. 22, § 4002

Abuse or neglect means a threat to a child’s health or welfare by deprivation of essential needs or lack of protection by a 

person responsible for the child. 

Jeopardy to health or welfare or jeopardy means serious abuse or neglect, as evidenced by:

• Deprivation of adequate food, clothing, shelter, supervision, care, or education when the child is at least age 7 

and has not completed grade 6

• Deprivation of necessary health care when the deprivation places the child in danger of serious harm

• Abandonment of the child or absence of any person responsible for the child that creates a threat of serious harm

• The end of voluntary placement, when the imminent return of the child to his or her custodian causes a threat of 

serious harm
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Sexual Abuse/Exploitation

Citation: Ann. Stat. Tit. 22, § 4002

The term abuse or neglect includes a threat to a child’s health or welfare by sexual abuse or exploitation by a person 

responsible for the child. 

Serious harm includes sexual abuse or exploitation.

Emotional Abuse

Citation: Ann. Stat. Tit. 22, § 4002

The term abuse or neglect includes a threat to a child’s health or welfare by mental or emotional injury or impairment by 

a person responsible for the child. 

Serious harm includes serious mental or emotional injury or impairment that now or in the future is likely to be evidenced 

by serious mental, behavioral, or personality disorder, including severe anxiety, depression, withdrawal, untoward 

aggressive behavior, seriously delayed development, or similar serious dysfunctional behavior. 

Abandonment

Citation: Ann. Stat. Tit. 22, § 4002

Abandonment means any conduct on the part of the parent that shows an intent to forgo parental duties or relinquish 

parental claims. The intent may be evidenced by: 

• Failure to communicate meaningfully or to maintain regular visitation with the child for a period of at least 6 

months

• Failure to participate in any plan or program designed to reunite the parent with the child 

• Deserting the child without affording means of identifying the child and his or her parent or custodian 

• Failure to respond to notice of child protective proceedings 

• Any other conduct indicating an intent to forgo parental duties or relinquish parental claims 

Jeopardy to health or welfare or jeopardy includes abandonment of the child or absence of any person responsible for 

the child that creates a threat of serious harm. 

Standards for Reporting

Citation: Ann. Stat. Tit. 22, § 4011-A

A report is required when a person knows or has reasonable cause to suspect that a child has been or is likely to be 

abused or neglected. 

Persons Responsible for the Child

Citation: Ann. Stat. Tit. 22, § 4002

The term parent means a natural or adoptive parent, unless parental rights have been terminated. 

A person responsible for the child means a person with responsibility for a child’s health or welfare, whether in the child’s 

home or another home or facility that, as part of its function, provides for care of the child. This includes the child’s 

custodian.

Exceptions

Citation: Ann. Stat. Tit. 22, § 4010

A child shall not be considered to be abused or neglected, in jeopardy of health or welfare, or in danger of serious harm 

solely because treatment is by spiritual means by an accredited practitioner of a recognized religious organization. 
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Maryland

Physical Abuse

Citation: Fam. Law § 5-701

Abuse means: 

• The physical or mental injury of a child by any parent or other person who has permanent or temporary care, 

custody, or responsibility for supervision of a child, or by any household or family member, under circumstances 

that indicate that the child’s health or welfare is harmed or at substantial risk of being harmed 

• Sexual abuse of a child, whether physical injuries are sustained or not 

Neglect

Citation: Fam. Law § 5-701

Neglect means the leaving of a child unattended or other failure to give proper care and attention to a child by any 

parent or other person who has permanent or temporary care or custody or responsibility for supervision of the child 

under circumstances that indicate: 

• That the child’s health or welfare is harmed or placed at substantial risk of harm 

• Mental injury to the child or a substantial risk of mental injury 

Sexual Abuse/Exploitation

Citation: Fam. Law § 5-701

Sexual abuse means any act that involves sexual molestation or exploitation of a child by a parent or other person who 

has permanent or temporary care, custody, or responsibility for supervision of a child, or by any household or family 

member. Sexual abuse includes incest, rape, sexual offense in any degree, sodomy, and unnatural or perverted sexual 

practices. 

Emotional Abuse

Citation: Fam. Law § 5-701

Mental injury means the observable, identifiable, and substantial impairment of a child’s mental or psychological ability 

to function.

Abandonment

This issue is not addressed in the statutes reviewed. 

Standards for Reporting

Citation: Fam. Law § 5-704

A report is required when a person has reason to believe that a child has been subjected to abuse or neglect. 

Persons Responsible for the Child

Citation: Fam. Law § 5-701

Responsible persons include a parent or other person who provides temporary care, custody, or supervision of the child, 

including: 

• A family member, including a relative to the child by blood, adoption, or marriage 

• A household member, including a person who lives or is a regular presence in a home of a child at the time of the 

alleged abuse or neglect 

Exceptions

No exceptions are specified in statute. 
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Massachusetts 

Physical Abuse

Citation: Code of Mass. Regs. Tit. 110, § 2.00

Abuse means the nonaccidental commission of any act by a caregiver upon a child under age 18 that causes or creates 

a substantial risk of physical or emotional injury, or constitutes a sexual offense under the laws of the Commonwealth, or 

any sexual contact between a caregiver and a child under the care of that individual. 

• Physical injury means:

• Death

• Fracture of a bone, a subdural hematoma, burns, impairment of any organ, and any other such nontrivial injury 

• Soft tissue swelling or skin bruising depending upon such factors as the child’s age, circumstances under which the 

injury occurred, and the number and location of bruises

• Addiction to a drug at birth

• Failure to thrive

Neglect

Citation: Code of Mass. Regs. Tit. 110, § 2.00

Neglect means failure by a caregiver, either deliberately or through negligence or inability, to take those actions 

necessary to provide a child with minimally adequate food, clothing, shelter, medical care, supervision, emotional 

stability, and growth, or other essential care. 

Sexual Abuse/Exploitation

Citation: Code of Mass. Regs. Tit. 110, § 2.00

The term abuse includes a sexual offense under the laws of the Commonwealth or any sexual contact between a 

caregiver and a child under the care of that individual.

Emotional Abuse

Citation: Code of Mass. Regs. Tit. 110, § 2.00

Emotional injury means an impairment to or disorder of the intellectual or psychological capacity of a child as evidenced 

by observable and substantial reduction in the child’s ability to function within a normal range of performance and 

behavior.

Abandonment

Citation: Ann. Laws Ch. 119, § 39

Abandonment of an infant under age 10 occurs when:

• A person leaves the child within or without any building.

• A parent or other person who has a legal duty to care for the child, having made a contract for the child’s board 

or maintenance, absconds or fails to perform such contract, and for 4 weeks after such absconding or breach of 

contract, if of sufficient physical and mental ability, neglects to visit or remove the child or notify the department of 

his or her inability to support the child.

Standards for Reporting

Citation: Ann. Laws Ch. 119, § 51A

A report is required when there is reasonable cause to believe that a child is suffering from harm or substantial risk of 

harm resulting from abuse or neglect.
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Persons Responsible for the Child

Citation: Ann. Laws Ch. 119, § 51A; Code of Mass. Regs. Tit. 110, § 2.00

Responsible persons include the parent and any other person responsible for the child’s care.

The term caretaker [caregiver] means:

• A child’s parent, stepparent, or guardian

• Any household member entrusted with the responsibility for a child’s health or welfare

• Any other person entrusted with the responsibility for a child’s health or welfare whether in the child’s home, a 

relative’s home, a school setting, a daycare setting (including babysitting), a foster home, a group care facility, or 

any other comparable setting

Caretaker includes, but is not limited to, schoolteachers, babysitters, schoolbus drivers, camp counselors, etc.

Exceptions

Citation: Code of Mass. Regs. Tit. 110, § 2.00

It is not considered neglect when the inability to care for the child is due solely to inadequate economic resources or 

solely to the existence of a handicapping condition. 

Michigan 

Physical Abuse

Citation: Comp. Laws §§ 722.622; 722.628(3)(c)

Child abuse means harm or threatened harm to a child’s health or welfare that occurs through nonaccidental physical 

or mental injury, sexual abuse, sexual exploitation, or maltreatment by a parent, a legal guardian, or any other person 

responsible for the child’s health or welfare or by a teacher, a teacher’s aide, or a member of the clergy. 

Severe physical injury means an injury to the child that requires medical treatment or hospitalization and that seriously 

impairs the child’s health or physical well-being. 

Neglect

Citation: Comp. Laws § 722.622

Child neglect means harm or threatened harm to a child’s health or welfare, by a parent, legal guardian, or any other 

person responsible for the child’s health or welfare, that occurs through either of the following:

• Negligent treatment, including the failure to provide adequate food, clothing, shelter, or medical care 

• Placing a child at an unreasonable risk to the child’s health or welfare by failure to intervene to eliminate that risk 

when that person is able to do so and has, or should have, knowledge of the risk 

Sexual Abuse/Exploitation

Citation: Comp. Laws § 722.622

Sexual abuse means engaging in sexual contact or sexual penetration with a child as those terms are defined in the 

penal code.

Sexual exploitation includes allowing, permitting, or encouraging a child to engage in prostitution, or allowing, 

permitting, encouraging, or engaging in photographing, filming, or depicting a child engaged in a sexual act. 

Emotional Abuse

Citation: Comp. Laws § 722.622

The term child abuse includes mental injury. 

Abandonment

This issue is not addressed in the statutes reviewed. 
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Standards for Reporting

Citation: Comp. Laws § 722.623

A report is required when there is reasonable cause to suspect child abuse or neglect. 

Persons Responsible for the Child

Citation: Comp. Laws § 722.622

A person responsible for the child’s health or welfare means a parent, legal guardian, person age 18 or older who resides 

for any length of time in the same home as the child, nonparent adult, or an owner, operator, volunteer, or employee of 

one or more of the following:

• A licensed or registered child care organization 

• A licensed or unlicensed adult foster care family home or adult foster care small group home

Nonparent adult means a person who is age 18 or older and who, regardless of the person’s domicile, meets all of the 

following criteria in relation to a child: 

• Has substantial and regular contact with the child

• Has a close personal relationship with the child’s parent or with a person responsible for the child’s health or 

welfare

• Is not the child’s parent or a person otherwise related to the child by blood or affinity to the third degree

Exceptions

Citation: Comp. Laws § 722.634

A parent or guardian legitimately practicing his or her religious beliefs who thereby does not provide specified medical 

treatment for a child, for that reason alone shall not be considered a negligent parent or guardian. This section shall not 

preclude a court from ordering the provision of medical services or nonmedical remedial services recognized by State 

law to a child when the child’s health requires it, nor does it abrogate the responsibility of a person required to report 

child abuse or neglect. 

Minnesota 

Physical Abuse

Citation: Ann. Stat. § 626.556, Subd. 2

Physical abuse means any physical injury, mental injury, or threatened injury inflicted by a person responsible for the 

child’s care on a child by other than accidental means, or physical or mental injury that cannot reasonably be explained 

by the child’s history of injuries, or any aversive and deprivation procedures or regulated interventions that have not 

been authorized by law. Physical abuse includes, but is not limited to, any of the following acts that are done in anger or 

without regard to the safety of the child: 

• Throwing, kicking, burning, biting, or cutting a child 

• Striking a child with a closed fist 

• Shaking a child under age 3 

• Striking or other actions that result in any nonaccidental injury to a child under 18 months 

• Unreasonable interference with a child’s breathing 

• Threatening a child with a weapon

• Striking a child under age 1 on the face or head 

• Purposely giving a child poison, alcohol, or dangerous, harmful, or controlled substances that were not prescribed 

for the child by a practitioner, in order to control or punish the child; giving the child substances that substantially 

affect the child’s behavior, motor coordination, or judgment or that result in sickness or internal injury; or 

subjecting the child to medical procedures that would be unnecessary if the child were not exposed to the 

substances 

• Unreasonable physical confinement or restraint not permitted by law including, but not limited to, tying, caging, 

or chaining 
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Neglect

Citation: Ann. Stat. § 626.556, Subd. 2

Neglect means the commission or omission of any of the acts specified below by other than accidental means:

• Failure by a person responsible for a child’s care to supply a child with necessary food, clothing, shelter, health, 

medical, or other care required for the child’s physical or mental health when reasonably able to do so 

• Failure to protect a child from conditions or actions that seriously endanger the child’s physical or mental health 

when reasonably able to do so, including a growth delay (also known as failure to thrive) that has been diagnosed 

by a physician and is due to parental neglect 

• Failure to provide necessary and appropriate supervision or child care arrangements for a child after considering 

such factors as the child’s age, mental ability, physical condition, length of absence, or environment, when the 

child is unable to care for his or her own basic needs or safety, or the basic needs or safety of another child in their 

care 

• Failure to ensure that the child is educated as required by State law, which does not include a parent’s refusal to 

provide his or her child with sympathomimetic medications 

• Prenatal exposure to a controlled substance, used by the mother for a nonmedical purpose, as evidenced by 

withdrawal symptoms in the child at birth, results of a toxicology test performed on the mother at delivery or the 

child at birth, or medical effects or developmental delays during the child’s first year of life that medically indicate 

prenatal exposure to a controlled substance 

• Medical neglect that includes, but is not limited to, withholding medically indicated treatment from a disabled 

infant with a life-threatening condition 

• Chronic and severe use of alcohol or a controlled substance by a parent or person responsible for the care of the 

child that adversely affects the child’s basic needs and safety 

Sexual Abuse/Exploitation

Citation: Ann. Stat. § 626.556, Subd. 2

Sexual abuse means the subjection of a child to any act that constitutes criminal sexual conduct by a person responsible 

for the child’s care, a person who has a significant relationship to the child, or a person in a position of authority. Sexual 

abuse includes any act that involves a minor that constitutes a violation of prostitution offenses. Sexual abuse also 

includes threatened sexual abuse.

Emotional Abuse

Citation: Ann. Stat. §§ 260C.007, Subd. 15; 626.556, Subd. 2

Emotional maltreatment means the consistent, deliberate infliction of mental harm on a child by a person responsible 

for the child’s care, that has an observable, sustained, and adverse effect on the child’s physical, mental, or emotional 

development. 

Mental injury means an injury to the psychological capacity or emotional stability of a child as evidenced by an 

observable or substantial impairment in the child’s ability to function within a normal range of performance and behavior 

with due regard to the child’s culture. 

Neglect includes emotional harm from a pattern of behavior that contributes to impaired emotional functioning of the 

child that may be demonstrated by a substantial and observable effect in the child’s behavior, emotional response, or 

cognition that is not within the normal range for the child’s age and stage of development, with due regard to the child’s 

culture. 

Abandonment

Citation: Ann. Stat. § 260C.007, Subd. 6

Child in need of protection or services means a child who is in need of protection or services because he or she is 

abandoned or without a parent, guardian, or custodian. 

Standards for Reporting

Citation: Ann. Stat. § 626.556, Subd. 3

A report is required when a person knows or has reason to believe that a child is neglected or physically or sexually 

abused.
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Persons Responsible for the Child

Citation: Ann. Stat. §§ 626.556, Subd. 2; 260C.007, Subd. 15

Person responsible for the child’s care means: 

• An individual functioning within the family unit and having responsibilities for the care of the child such as a 

parent, guardian, or other person having similar care responsibilities 

• An individual functioning outside the family unit and having responsibilities for the care of the child such as a 

teacher, school administrator, other school employees or agents, or other lawful custodian of a child having either 

full-time or short-term care responsibilities including, but not limited to, daycare, babysitting (paid or unpaid), 

counseling, teaching, and coaching 

Exceptions

Citation: Ann. Stat. §§ 626.556, Subd. 2; 260C.007, Subd. 15

A child is not considered neglected solely because the child’s parent, guardian, or other person responsible for the 

child’s care in good faith selects and depends upon spiritual means or prayer for treatment or care of disease or remedial 

care of the child in lieu of medical care. A parent, guardian, caregiver, or a person mandated to report [child abuse or 

neglect] has a duty to report if a lack of medical care may cause serious danger to the child’s health. 

Abuse does not include reasonable and moderate physical discipline of a child administered by a parent or legal 

guardian that does not result in an injury. 

Abuse does not include the use of reasonable force by a teacher, principal, or school employee as allowed by § 

121A.582. 

Emotional maltreatment does not include reasonable training or discipline administered by the person responsible for 

the child’s care or the reasonable exercise of authority by that person. 

Mississippi

Physical Abuse

Citation: Ann. Code § 43-21-105

Abused child means a child whose parent, guardian, custodian, or any person responsible for his or her care or support, 

whether or not legally obligated to do so, has caused or allowed to be caused upon the child nonaccidental physical 

injury or other maltreatment. 

Neglect

Citation: Ann. Code § 43-21-105

Neglected child means a child: 

• Whose parent, guardian, custodian, or any person responsible for his or her care or support neglects or refuses, 

when able to do so, to provide proper and necessary care or support; education as required by law; or medical, 

surgical, or other care necessary for his or her well-being 

• Who is otherwise without proper care, custody, supervision, or support 

• Who, for any reason, lacks the special care made necessary for him or her by reason of his or her mental condition, 

whether said mental condition be mentally retarded or mentally ill 

• Who, for any reason, lacks the care necessary for his or her health, morals, or well-being 

Sexual Abuse/Exploitation

Citation: Ann. Code § 43-21-105

The term abused child includes sexual abuse or sexual exploitation. 

Sexual abuse means obscene or pornographic photographing, filming, or depiction of children for commercial purposes, 

or the rape, molestation, incest, prostitution, or other such forms of sexual exploitation of children under circumstances 

that indicate that the child’s health or welfare is harmed or threatened. 
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Emotional Abuse

Citation: Ann. Code § 43-21-105

The term abused child includes emotional abuse or mental injury. 

Abandonment

This issue is not addressed in the statutes reviewed. 

Standards for Reporting

Citation: Ann. Code § 43-21-353

A report is required when a person has reasonable cause to suspect that a child is abused or neglected. 

Persons Responsible for the Child

Citation: Ann. Code § 43-21-105

Responsible persons include:

• A parent, guardian, or custodian 

• Any person responsible for care or support, which refers to the person who is providing for the child at a given 

time, including, but not limited to, stepparents, foster parents, relatives, nonlicensed babysitters or other similar 

persons responsible for a child, and staff of residential care facilities and group homes licensed by the department

Exceptions

Citation: Ann. Code § 43-21-105

A parent who withholds medical treatment from any child who in good faith is under treatment by spiritual means alone 

through prayer, in accordance with the tenets and practices of a recognized church or religious denomination by a duly 

accredited practitioner thereof, shall not, for that reason alone, be considered to be neglectful. 

Physical discipline, including spanking, performed on a child by a parent, guardian, or custodian in a reasonable manner 

shall not be deemed abuse under this section. 

Missouri

Physical Abuse

Citation: Ann. Stat. § 210.110

Abuse means any physical injury inflicted on a child by other than accidental means by those responsible for the child’s 

care, custody, and control. 

Neglect

Citation: Ann. Stat. § 210.110

Neglect means failure to provide, by those responsible for the care, custody, and control of the child, proper or 

necessary support; education as required by law; nutrition; or medical, surgical, or any other care necessary for the child’s 

well-being.

Sexual Abuse/Exploitation

Citation: Ann. Stat. § 210.110

The term abuse includes sexual abuse.

Emotional Abuse

Citation: Ann. Stat. § 210.110

The term abuse includes emotional abuse inflicted on a child by those responsible for the child’s care, custody, and 

control. 

Abandonment

This issue is not addressed in the statutes reviewed.
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Standards for Reporting

Citation: Ann. Stat. § 210.115

A report is required when there is reasonable cause to suspect that a child has been or may be subjected to abuse or 

neglect.

Persons Responsible for the Child

Citation: Ann. Stat. § 210.110

The term those responsible for the care, custody, and control of the child includes, but is not limited to: 

• The parents or guardian of a child

• Other members of the child’s household 

• Anyone exercising supervision over a child for any part of a 24-hour day 

• Any adult who has access to the child, based on a relationship to the parents of the child, members of the child’s 

household, or the family

Exceptions

Citation: Ann. Stat. §§ 210.110; 210.115

Discipline, including spanking, administered in a reasonable manner, shall not be considered abuse. 

A child who does not receive specified medical treatment by reason of the legitimate practice of the religious belief of 

the child’s parents, guardian, or others legally responsible for the child, for that reason alone, shall not be found to be an 

abused or neglected child. 

• The division may accept reports concerning such a child and may subsequently investigate or conduct a family 

assessment as a result of that report. 

• This exception shall not limit the administrative or judicial authority of the State to ensure that medical services are 

provided to the child when the child’s health requires it. 

Montana

Physical Abuse

Citation: Ann. Code § 41-3-102

Physical abuse means an intentional act, omission, or gross negligence resulting in substantial skin bruising, internal 

bleeding, substantial injury to skin, subdural hematoma, burns, bone fractures, extreme pain, permanent or temporary 

disfigurement, impairment of any bodily organ or function, or death. 

Child abuse or neglect means: 

• Actual physical or psychological harm to a child 

• Substantial risk of physical or psychological harm to a child 

• Abandonment 

The term includes: 

• Actual physical or psychological harm to a child, or substantial risk of physical or psychological harm to a child, by 

the acts or omissions of a person responsible for the child’s welfare 

• Exposing a child to the criminal distribution of dangerous drugs, the criminal production or manufacture of 

dangerous drugs, or the operation of an unlawful clandestine laboratory 

Physical or psychological harm to a child means the harm that occurs whenever the parent or other person responsible 

for the child’s welfare inflicts or allows to be inflicted upon the child physical abuse, physical neglect, or psychological 

abuse or neglect.
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Neglect

Citation: Ann. Code § 41-3-102

Physical neglect means: 

• Failure to provide basic necessities, including but not limited to appropriate and adequate nutrition, protective 

shelter from the elements, and appropriate clothing related to weather conditions 

• Failure to provide cleanliness and general supervision 

• Exposing or allowing the child to be exposed to an unreasonable physical or psychological risk to the child 

Physical or psychological harm to a child means the harm that occurs whenever the parent or other person responsible 

for the child’s welfare: 

• Causes malnutrition, failure to thrive, or otherwise fails to supply the child with adequate food; fails to supply 

clothing, shelter, education, or adequate health care, though financially able to do so or when offered financial or 

other reasonable means to do so

• Exposes the child, or allows the child to be exposed, to an unreasonable risk to the child’s health or welfare by 

failing to intervene or eliminate the risk 

Withholding of medically indicated treatment means failure to respond to an infant’s life-threatening conditions by 

not providing treatment, including appropriate nutrition, hydration, and medication, that in the treating physician’s or 

physicians’ reasonable medical judgment is most likely to be effective in ameliorating or correcting the conditions. 

Sexual Abuse/Exploitation

Citation: Ann. Code § 41-3-102

Sexual abuse means the commission of sexual assault, sexual intercourse without consent, indecent exposure, deviate 

sexual conduct, ritual abuse, or incest. 

Sexual exploitation means allowing, permitting, or encouraging a child to engage in a prostitution offense or allowing, 

permitting, or encouraging sexual abuse of children. 

Physical or psychological harm to a child means the harm that occurs whenever a parent or other person responsible for 

the child’s welfare commits or allows sexual abuse or exploitation of the child. 

Emotional Abuse

Citation: Ann. Code § 41-3-102

Psychological abuse or neglect means severe maltreatment through acts or omissions that are injurious to the child’s 

emotional, intellectual, or psychological capacity to function, including acts of violence against another person residing 

in the child’s home. 

Physical or psychological harm to a child means the harm that occurs whenever a parent or other person responsible 

for a child’s welfare induces or attempts to induce the child to give untrue testimony that the child or another child was 

abused or neglected by a parent or other person responsible for the child’s welfare.

Abandonment

Citation: Ann. Code § 41-3-102

Abandon, abandoned, and abandonment mean: 

• Leaving a child under circumstances that make reasonable the belief that the parent does not intend to resume 

care of the child in the future 

• Willfully surrendering physical custody for a period of 6 months and during that period not manifesting to the 

child and the person having physical custody of the child a firm intention to resume physical custody or to make 

permanent legal arrangements for the care of the child 

• That the parent is unknown and has been unknown for a period of 90 days and that reasonable efforts to identify 

and locate the parent have failed 

• The voluntary surrender, as defined in § 40-6-402, by a parent of a newborn who is no more than 30 days old to an 

emergency services provider 

Physical or psychological harm to a child means the harm that occurs when the parent or other person responsible for 

the child’s welfare abandons the child. 
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Standards for Reporting

Citation: Ann. Code § 41-3-201

A report is required when there is reasonable cause to suspect that a child is abused or neglected.

Persons Responsible for the Child

Citation: Ann. Code § 41-3-102

A person responsible for a child’s welfare means: 

• The child’s parent, guardian, foster parent, or an adult who resides in the same home as the child 

• A person providing care in a daycare facility 

• An employee of a public or private residential institution, facility, home, or agency 

• Any other person responsible for the child’s welfare in a residential setting 

Exceptions

Citation: Ann. Code § 41-3-102

The term abandoned does not include the voluntary surrender of the child to the department solely because of parental 

inability to access publicly funded services. 

The term child abuse does not include self-defense, defense of others, or action taken to prevent the child from selfharm. 

This chapter may not be construed to require or justify a finding of child abuse or neglect for the sole reason that a 

parent or legal guardian, because of religious beliefs, does not provide adequate health care for a child. This chapter 

may not be construed to limit the administrative or judicial authority of the State to ensure that medical care is provided 

to the child when there is imminent substantial risk of serious harm to the child.

The term withholding medically indicated treatment does not include the failure to provide treatment, other than 

appropriate nutrition, hydration, or medication to an infant when, in the treating physician’s or physicians’ reasonable 

medical judgment: 

• The infant is chronically and irreversibly comatose.

• The provision of treatment would merely prolong dying, not be effective in ameliorating or correcting all of the 

infant’s life-threatening conditions, or otherwise be futile in terms of the survival of the infant.

• The provision of treatment would be virtually futile in terms of the survival of the infant, and the treatment itself 

under the circumstances would be inhumane.

Nebraska 

Physical Abuse

Citation: Rev. Stat. § 28-710

Child abuse or neglect means knowingly, intentionally, or negligently causing, or permitting a minor child to be placed in 

a situation that endangers his or her life or physical health, or causes or permits a child to be cruelly confined or cruelly 

punished. 

Neglect

Citation: Rev. Stat. § 28-710

Child abuse or neglect means knowingly, intentionally, or negligently causing or permitting a minor child to be deprived 

of necessary food, clothing, shelter, or care or causing or permitting a child age 6 or younger to be left unattended in a 

motor vehicle.
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Sexual Abuse/Exploitation

Citation: Rev. Stat. § 28-710

The term child abuse or neglect includes knowingly, intentionally, or negligently causing or permitting a minor child to 

be: 

• Sexually abused

• Sexually exploited by allowing, encouraging, or forcing the child to solicit for or engage in prostitution, 

debauchery, public indecency, or obscene or pornographic photography, films, or depictions 

Emotional Abuse

Citation: Rev. Stat. § 28-710

The term child abuse or neglect includes knowingly, intentionally, or negligently causing or permitting a minor child to be 

placed in a situation that endangers his or her mental health. 

Abandonment

Citation: Rev. Stat. § 28-705(3)

When a person abandons and neglects to provide for his or her child or dependent stepchild for 3 consecutive months 

or more, it shall be prima facie evidence of intent to commit abandonment of a child or dependent stepchild. 

Standards for Reporting

Citation: Rev. Stat. § 28-711

A report is required when there is reasonable cause to believe that a child has been subjected to abuse or neglect.

Persons Responsible for the Child

Citation: Rev. Stat. § 28-710

A report must be made when any person is responsible for the abuse or neglect of a child.

Exceptions

No exceptions are specified in statute. 

Nevada

Physical Abuse

Citation: Rev. Stat. §§ 432B.020; 432B.090; 432B.150

Abuse or neglect of a child means physical or mental injury of a nonaccidental nature; sexual abuse or sexual 

exploitation; or negligent treatment or maltreatment of a child caused or allowed by a person responsible for his or her 

welfare under circumstances that indicate that the child’s health or welfare is harmed or threatened with harm.

Physical injury includes, without limitation: 

• A sprain or dislocation 

• Damage to cartilage 

• A fracture of a bone or the skull

• An intracranial hemorrhage or injury to another internal organ 

• A burn or scalding 

• A cut, laceration, puncture, or bite 

• Permanent or temporary disfigurement or loss or impairment of a part or organ of the body 

Excessive corporal punishment may result in physical or mental injury constituting abuse or neglect of a child. 

Neglect

Citation: Rev. Stat. § 432B.140

Negligent treatment or maltreatment of a child occurs if a child has been abandoned; is without proper care, control, and 

supervision; or lacks the subsistence, education, shelter, medical care, or other care necessary for the well-being of the 

child because of the faults or habits of the person responsible for his or her welfare or because of that person’s neglect or 

refusal to provide care when able to do so. 
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Sexual Abuse/Exploitation

Citation: Rev. Stat. §§ 432B.100; 432B.110

Sexual abuse includes acts upon a child constituting: 

• Incest 

• Lewdness with a child 

• Sadomasochistic abuse 

• Sexual assault 

• Statutory sexual seduction 

• Mutilation of the genitalia of a female child; aiding, abetting, encouraging, or participating in the mutilation of the 

genitalia of a female child; or removal of a female child from this State for the purpose of mutilating the genitalia 

of the child 

Sexual exploitation includes forcing, allowing, or encouraging a child: 

• To solicit for or engage in prostitution 

• To view a pornographic film or literature 

• To engage in filming, photographing, recording on videotape, posing, modeling, depiction, or a live performance 

before an audience that involves the exhibition of a child’s genitals or any sexual conduct with a child 

Emotional Abuse

Citation: Rev. Stat. § 432B.070

Mental injury means an injury to the intellectual or psychological capacity or the emotional condition of a child as 

evidenced by an observable and substantial impairment of his or her ability to function within his or her normal range of 

performance or behavior. 

Abandonment

Citation: Rev. Stat. § 432B.140

Negligent treatment or maltreatment of a child occurs if a child has been abandoned.

Standards for Reporting

Citation: Rev. Stat. § 432B.220

A report is required when a person knows or has reasonable cause to believe that a child has been abused or neglected. 

Persons Responsible for the Child

Citation: Rev. Stat. §§ 432B.080; 432B.130

The term parent means a natural or adoptive parent whose parental rights have not been terminated.

The term person responsible for a child’s welfare includes: 

• The child’s parent, guardian, or stepparent with whom the child lives 

• An adult person continually or regularly found in the same household as the child

• A person directly responsible, serving as a volunteer, or employed in a public or private home, institution, or 

facility where a child actually resides or is receiving child care outside his or her home for a portion of the day 

Exceptions

Citation: Rev. Stat. § 432B.020(2)

Relinquishment of a newborn in accordance with the law is not considered abuse or neglect. 

It is not considered abuse or neglect when a parent or guardian, in good faith, selects and depends upon nonmedical 

remedial treatment for the child, if such treatment is recognized and permitted under the laws of the State in lieu of 

medical treatment. This paragraph does not limit the court in ensuring that a child receive a medical examination and 

treatment pursuant to § 62E.280. 
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New Hampshire 

Physical Abuse

Citation: Rev. Stat. § 169-C:3

Abused child means any child who has been: 

• Sexually abused 

• Intentionally physically injured 

• Physically injured by other than accidental means 

Neglect

Citation: Rev. Stat. § 169-C:3

Neglected child means a child: 

• Who is without proper parental care or control, subsistence, education as required by law, or other care or 

control necessary for his or her physical, mental, or emotional health, when it is established that his or her health 

has suffered or is very likely to suffer serious impairment, and the deprivation is not due primarily to the lack of 

financial means of the parents, guardian, or custodian 

• Whose parents, guardian, or custodian are unable to discharge their responsibilities to and for the child because 

of incarceration, hospitalization, or other physical or mental incapacity 

Sexual Abuse/Exploitation

Citation: Rev. Stat. § 169-C:3

Sexual abuse means the following activities under circumstances that indicate that the child’s health or welfare is harmed 

or threatened with harm: 

• The employment, use, persuasion, inducement, enticement, or coercion of any child to engage in or having a 

child assist any other person to engage in any sexually explicit conduct or any simulation of such conduct for the 

purpose of producing any visual depiction of such conduct 

• The rape, molestation, prostitution, or other form of sexual exploitation of children, or incest with children 

Emotional Abuse

Citation: Rev. Stat. § 169-C:3

The term abused child includes any child who has been psychologically injured so that the child exhibits symptoms of 

emotional problems generally recognized to result from consistent mistreatment or neglect. 

Abandonment

Citation: Rev. Stat. § 169-C:3

Abandoned means the child has been left by his or her parent, guardian, or custodian without provision for his or her 

care, supervision, or financial support, although his or her parent, guardian, or custodian is financially able to provide 

such support.

Standards for Reporting

Citation: Rev. Stat. § 169-C:329

A report is required when there is reason to suspect that a child has been abused or neglected. 

Persons Responsible for the Child

Citation: Rev. Stat. § 169-C:3

A person responsible for a child’s welfare includes the child’s parent, guardian, or custodian, as well as the person 

providing out-of-home care of the child, if that person is not the parent, guardian, or custodian. 

The term parent means mother, father, or adoptive parent, but the term shall not include a parent whose parent-child 

relationship has been terminated by judicial decree or voluntary relinquishment. 
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Exceptions

Citation: Rev. Stat. § 169-C:3

No child who is, in good faith, under treatment solely by spiritual means through prayer in accordance with the tenets 

and practices of a recognized church or religious denomination by a duly accredited practitioner thereof shall, for that 

reason alone, be considered to be a neglected child under this chapter. 

New Jersey

Physical Abuse

Citation: Ann. Stat. § 9:6-8.21

Abused child or abused or neglected child means a child under age 18 whose parent, guardian, or other person having 

custody and control:

• Inflicts or allows to be inflicted upon such child physical injury by other than accidental means that causes or 

creates a substantial risk of death, serious or protracted disfigurement, protracted impairment of physical or 

emotional health, or protracted loss or impairment of the function of any bodily organ

• Creates or allows to be created a substantial or ongoing risk of physical injury to such child by other than 

accidental means 

• Unreasonably inflicts, or allows to be inflicted, harm or substantial risk thereof, including the infliction of excessive 

corporal punishment or by any other acts of a similarly serious nature requiring the aid of the court

• Uses excessive physical restraint upon the child under circumstances that do not indicate that the child’s behavior 

is harmful to himself, others, or property

Neglect

Citation: Ann. Stat. § 9:6-8.21

Abused child or abused or neglected child means a child younger than age 18 whose physical, mental, or emotional 

condition has been impaired or is in imminent danger of becoming impaired as the result of the failure of his parent, 

guardian, or other person having custody and control, to exercise a minimum degree of care:

• In supplying the child with adequate food, clothing, shelter, education, medical, or surgical care, although 

financially able to do so or although offered financial or other reasonable means to do so

• In providing the child with proper supervision or guardianship

Sexual Abuse/Exploitation

Citation: Ann. Stat. § 9:6-8.21

The terms abused child or abused or neglected child include a child under age 18 whose parent, guardian, or other 

person having custody and control commits or allows to be committed an act of sexual abuse against the child. 

Emotional Abuse

Citation: Ann. Stat. § 9:6-8.21

The terms abused child or abused or neglected child include a child under age 18 who is in an institution, and:

• Has been placed there inappropriately for a continued period of time with the knowledge that the placement has 

resulted or may continue to result in harm to the child’s mental or physical well-being 

• Who has been willfully isolated from ordinary social contact under circumstances that indicate emotional or social 

deprivation

Abandonment

Citation: Ann. Stat. § 9:6-8.21

The terms abused child or abused or neglected child include a child under age 18 who has been willfully abandoned by 

his or her parent, guardian, or other person having custody and control.
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Standards for Reporting

Citation: Ann. Stat. § 9:6-8.10

A report is required when there is reasonable cause to believe that a child has been subjected to child abuse.

Persons Responsible for the Child

Citation: Ann. Stat. § 9:6-8.21

Parent or guardian means any natural parent, adoptive parent, resource family parent, stepparent, paramour of a parent, 

or any person who has assumed responsibility for the care, custody, or control of a child or upon whom there is a legal 

duty for such care. 

Parent or guardian includes a teacher, employee, or volunteer, whether compensated or uncompensated, of an 

institution who is responsible for the child’s welfare and any other staff person of an institution, regardless of whether or 

not the person is responsible for the care or supervision of the child. Parent or guardian also includes a teaching staff 

member or other employee, whether compensated or uncompensated, of a day school. 

Exceptions

Citation: Ann. Stat. § 9:6-8.21

No child who in good faith is under treatment by spiritual means alone through prayer in accordance with the tenets and 

practices of a recognized church or religious denomination by a duly accredited practitioner thereof shall for this reason 

alone be considered to be abused or neglected. 

New Mexico

Physical Abuse

Citation: Ann. Stat. § 32A-4-2

Abused child means a child: 

• Who has suffered or is at risk of suffering serious harm because of the action or inaction of the child’s parent, 

guardian, or custodian 

• Who has suffered physical abuse inflicted or caused by the child’s parent, guardian, or custodian 

• Whose parent, guardian, or custodian has knowingly, intentionally, or negligently placed the child in a situation 

that may endanger the child’s life or health

• Whose parent, guardian, or custodian has knowingly or intentionally tortured, cruelly confined, or cruelly punished 

the child 

Physical abuse includes, but is not limited to, any case in which the child exhibits evidence of skin bruising, bleeding, 

malnutrition, failure to thrive, burns, fracture of any bone, subdural hematoma, soft tissue swelling, or death, and: 

• There is no justifiable explanation for the condition or death. 

• The explanation given for the condition or death is at variance with the degree or nature of the condition or the 

nature of the death. 

• Circumstances indicate that the condition or death may not be the product of an accidental occurrence. 
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Neglect

Citation: Ann. Stat. § 32A-4-2

Neglected child means a child: 

• Who has been abandoned by the child’s parent, guardian, or custodian 

• Who is without proper parental care and control or subsistence, education, medical, or other care or control 

necessary for the child’s well-being because of the faults or habits of the child’s parent, guardian, or custodian or 

that person’s failure or refusal to provide them 

• Who has been physically or sexually abused when the child’s parent, guardian, or custodian knew or should have 

known of the abuse and failed to take reasonable steps to protect the child from further harm 

• Whose parent, guardian, or custodian is unable to discharge his or her responsibilities to and for the child because 

of incarceration, hospitalization, or other physical or mental disorder or incapacity 

• Who has been placed for care or adoption in violation of the law 

Sexual Abuse/Exploitation

Citation: Ann. Stat. § 32A-4-2

The term abused child includes a child who has suffered sexual abuse or sexual exploitation inflicted by the child’s 

parent, guardian, or custodian. 

Sexual abuse includes, but is not limited to, criminal sexual contact, incest, or criminal sexual penetration, as those acts 

are defined by State law. 

Sexual exploitation includes, but is not limited to: 

• Allowing, permitting, or encouraging a child to engage in prostitution 

• Allowing, permitting, encouraging, or engaging a child in obscene or pornographic photographing 

• Filming or depicting a child for obscene or pornographic commercial purposes 

Emotional Abuse

Citation: Ann. Stat. § 32A-4-2

The term abused child includes a child who has suffered emotional or psychological abuse inflicted or caused by the 

child’s parent, guardian, or custodian.

Abandonment

Citation: Ann. Stat. § 32A-4-2

Abandonment includes instances when the parent, without justifiable cause: 

• Left the child without provision for the child’s identification for a period of 14 days 

• Left the child with others, including the other parent or an agency, without provision for support and without 

communication for a period of 3 months if the child was younger than age 6 at the commencement of the 

3-month period or 6 months if the child was older than age 6 at the commencement of the 6-month period 

Standards for Reporting

Citation: Ann. Stat. § 32A-4-3

A report is required when a person knows or has a reasonable suspicion that the child is abused or neglected. 

Persons Responsible for the Child

Citation: Ann. Stat. § 32A-4-2

Responsible persons include the child’s parent, guardian, or custodian.

Exceptions

Citation: Ann. Stat. § 32A-4-2

A child who is being provided with treatment by spiritual means alone through prayer, in accordance with the tenets 

and practices of a recognized church or religious denomination, by a duly accredited practitioner thereof is not for that 

reason alone a neglected child. 
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New York 

Physical Abuse

Citation: Soc. Serv. Law § 371

Abused child means a child younger than age 18 whose parent or other person legally responsible for his or her care: 

• Inflicts or allows to be inflicted upon such child physical injury by other than accidental means that causes or 

creates a substantial risk of death, serious or protracted disfigurement, protracted impairment of physical or 

emotional health, or protracted loss or impairment of the function of any bodily organ 

• Creates or allows to be created a substantial risk of physical injury to such child by other than accidental means 

that would be likely to cause death, serious or protracted disfigurement, protracted impairment of physical or 

emotional health, or protracted loss or impairment of the function of any bodily organ 

Neglect

Citation: Soc. Serv. Law § 371

Neglected child means a child younger than age 18 whose physical, mental, or emotional condition has been impaired 

or is in imminent danger of becoming impaired as a result of the failure of his or her parent or other person legally 

responsible for his or her care to exercise a minimum degree of care: 

In supplying the child with adequate food, clothing, shelter, education, or medical or surgical care, 

although financially able to do so or offered financial or other reasonable means to do so 

• In providing the child with proper supervision or guardianship 

• By unreasonably inflicting or allowing harm to be inflicted, or a substantial risk thereof, including the infliction of 

excessive corporal punishment 

• By misusing drugs or alcoholic beverages to the extent that he or she loses self-control of his or her actions 

• By any other acts of a similarly serious nature requiring the aid of the court 

Sexual Abuse/Exploitation

Citation: Soc. Serv. Law § 371

The term abused child includes a child younger than age 18 whose parent or other person legally responsible for his or 

her care commits, or allows to be committed, an act of sexual abuse against such child, as defined in title H, article 130, 

of the penal law.

Emotional Abuse

Citation: Family Court Act § 1012

Impairment of emotional health and impairment of mental or emotional condition includes a state of substantially 

diminished psychological or intellectual functioning in relation to, but not limited to, such factors as failure to thrive, 

control of aggressive or self-destructive impulses, ability to think and reason, acting out, or misbehavior, including 

incorrigibility, ungovernability, or habitual truancy; provided, however, that such impairment must be clearly attributable 

to the unwillingness or inability of the respondent to exercise a minimum degree of care toward the child.

Abandonment

Citation: Soc. Serv. Law § 384-b

A child is abandoned by his or her parent if such parent evinces an intent to forgo his or her parental rights and 

obligations as manifested by his or her failure to visit the child and communicate with the child or agency, although able 

to do so and not prevented or discouraged from doing so by the agency. In the absence of evidence to the contrary, 

such ability to visit and communicate shall be presumed.

Standards for Reporting

Citation: Soc. Serv. Law § 413

A report is required when there is reasonable cause to suspect that a child has been abused or maltreated. 
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Persons Responsible for the Child

Citation: Soc. Serv. Law § 371; Family Court Act § 1012

Responsible persons include the child’s parent and other persons legally responsible for the child’s care.

Person legally responsible includes the child’s custodian, guardian, and any other person responsible for the child’s care 

at the relevant time. A custodian may include a person continually or at regular intervals found in the same household as 

the child when the conduct of such person causes or contributes to the abuse or neglect of the child. 

Exceptions

No exceptions are specified in statute. 

North Carolina

Physical Abuse

Citation: Gen. Stat. § 7B-101

Abused juvenile means any child younger than age 18 whose parent, guardian, custodian, or caregiver: 

• Inflicts or allows to be inflicted upon the child a serious physical injury by other than accidental means 

• Creates or allows to be created a substantial risk of serious physical injury to the child by other than accidental 

means 

• Uses or allows to be used upon the child cruel or grossly inappropriate procedures or cruel or grossly 

inappropriate devices to modify behavior 

Neglect

Citation: Gen. Stat. § 7B-101

Neglected juvenile means a child: 

• Who does not receive proper care, supervision, or discipline from his or her parent, guardian, custodian, or 

caregiver 

• Who is not provided necessary medical or remedial care 

• Who lives in an environment injurious to his or her welfare 

• Who has been placed for care or adoption in violation of law

In determining whether a child is a neglected juvenile, it is relevant whether that child lives in a home where another 

child has been subjected to abuse or neglect by an adult who regularly lives in the home. 

Sexual Abuse/Exploitation

Citation: Gen. Stat. § 7B-101

The term abused juvenile includes any child younger than age 18 whose parent, guardian, custodian, or caregiver 

commits, permits, or encourages the commission of a violation of the following laws regarding sexual offenses by, with, 

or upon the child:

• First and second degree rape or sexual offense

• Rape of a child by an adult offender

• Sexual act by a custodian 

• Crime against nature or incest 

• Preparation of obscene photographs, slides, or motion pictures of the child

• Employing or permitting the child to assist in a violation of the obscenity laws 

• Dissemination of obscene material to the child

• Displaying or disseminating material harmful to the child

• First and second degree sexual exploitation of the child 

• Promoting the prostitution of the child 

• Taking indecent liberties with the child
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Emotional Abuse

Citation: Gen. Stat. § 7B-101

The term abused juvenile includes any child younger than age 18 whose parent, guardian, custodian, or caregiver creates 

or allows to be created serious emotional damage to the child. Serious emotional damage is evidenced by a child’s 

severe anxiety, depression, withdrawal, or aggressive behavior toward himself or others. 

Abandonment

Citation: Gen. Stat. § 7B-101

The term neglected juvenile includes a child who has been abandoned. 

Standards for Reporting

Citation: Gen. Stat. § 7B-301

A report is required when there is cause to suspect that a child is abused, neglected, or dependent. 

Persons Responsible for the Child

Citation: Gen. Stat. § 7B-101

A person responsible for a child’s health and welfare means: 

• A parent, guardian, or custodian 

• A stepparent, foster parent, or an adult member of the child’s household 

• An adult relative entrusted with the child’s care 

• Any person, such as a house parent or cottage parent, who has primary responsibility for supervising a child’s 

health and welfare in a residential child care facility 

• An employee or volunteer of a division, institution, or school operated by the department 

Exceptions

No exceptions are specified in statute. 

North Dakota 

Physical Abuse

Citation: Cent. Code §§ 50-25.1-02; 14-09-22

Abused child means an individual younger than age 18 who is suffering from abuse as defined in § 14-09-22(1)(a), caused 

by a person responsible for the child’s welfare.

A child is abused when a parent, adult family or household member, guardian, or other custodian of any child willfully 

does any of the following:

• Inflicts or allows to be inflicted upon the child bodily injury, substantial bodily injury, serious bodily injury, or mental 

injury

• Fails to provide proper parental care or control, subsistence, education as required by law, or other care or control 

necessary for the child’s physical, mental, or emotional health, or morals

• Permits the child to be, or fails to exercise reasonable diligence in preventing the child from being, in a 

disreputable place or associating with vagrants or vicious or immoral persons

• Permits the child to engage in, or fails to exercise reasonable diligence in preventing the child from engaging in, 

an occupation forbidden by the laws of this State or an occupation injurious to the child’s health or morals, or the 

health or morals of others
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Neglect

Citation: Cent. Code §§ 50-25.1-02; 27-20-02

Neglected child means a deprived child as defined in chapter 27-20. 

Deprived child means a child who: 

• Is without proper parental care or control, subsistence, education, or other care or control necessary for the child’s 

physical, mental, emotional health, or morals; and the deprivation is not due primarily to the lack of financial 

means of the child’s parents, guardian, or other custodian 

• Has been placed for care or adoption in violation of law 

• Is without proper parental care, control, education, or other care and control necessary for the child’s well-being 

because of the physical, mental, emotional, or other illness or disability of the child’s parent or parents; and such 

lack of care is not due to a willful act of commission or act of omission by the child’s parents, and care is requested 

by a parent 

• Is in need of treatment and whose parents, guardian, or other custodian have refused to participate in treatment 

as ordered by the juvenile court 

• Was subject to prenatal exposure to chronic and severe use of alcohol or any controlled substance in a manner not 

lawfully prescribed by a practitioner 

• Is present in an environment that subjects the child to exposure to a controlled substance or drug paraphernalia 

Prenatal exposure to a controlled substance means use of a controlled substance by a pregnant woman for a nonmedical 

purpose during pregnancy as evidenced by withdrawal symptoms in the child at birth, results of a toxicology test 

performed on the mother at delivery of the child at birth, or medical effects or developmental delays during the child’s 

first year of life that medically indicate prenatal exposure to a controlled substance. 

Sexual Abuse/Exploitation

Citation: Cent. Code § 50-25.1-02

Sexually abused child means an individual younger than age 18 who is subjected by a person responsible for the child’s 

welfare or by any individual to sexual abuse, as described in §§ 12.1-20-01 through 12.1-20-07 and §§ 12.1-20-11 

through 12.1-20-12.2, or sexual exploitation, as described in chapter 12.1-27.2. 

Emotional Abuse

Citation: Cent. Code § 50-25.1-02

A child is an abused child when the person responsible for the child’s welfare inflicts or allows to be inflicted upon the 

child a mental injury.

Abandonment

Citation: Cent. Code § 27-20-02

Abandon means: 

• Failure by a noncustodial parent, without justifiable cause, to communicate significantly with the child, or to 

provide for the care and support of the child as required by law 

• Actions by a custodial parent that include:

» Leaving the child for an indefinite period without making firm and agreed upon plans with the child’s 

immediate caregiver for the parents’ resumption of physical custody 

» Following the child’s birth or treatment at a hospital, failing to arrange for the child’s discharge within 10 days 

after the child no longer requires hospital care 

» Willfully failing to furnish food, shelter, clothing, or medical attention that is reasonably sufficient to meet the 

child’s needs 

Abandoned infant means a child who has been abandoned before reaching the age of 1 year. 
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Standards for Reporting

Citation: Cent. Code § 50-25.1-03

A report is required when a person knows or has reasonable cause to suspect that a child is abused or neglected.

Persons Responsible for the Child

Citation: Cent. Code § 50-25.1-02

A person responsible for the child’s welfare means a person who has responsibility for the care or supervision of a child 

and who is:

• The child’s parent, an adult family member of the child, any member of the child’s household, the child’s guardian, 

or the child’s foster parent

• An employee of, or any person providing care for the child in, a public or private school or child care setting

Exceptions

No exceptions are specified in statute. 

Northern Mariana Islands 

Physical Abuse

Citation: Commonwealth Code Tit. 6, § 5312

Child abuse is committed if the person willfully and intentionally strikes, beats, or by any other act or omission inflicts 

physical pain, injury, or mental distress upon a child younger than age 18 who is in the person’s custody, such pain or 

injury being clearly beyond the scope of reasonable corporal punishment, with the result that the child’s physical or 

mental health and well-being are harmed or threatened. 

Neglect

Citation: Commonwealth Code Tit. 6, § 5312

Child abuse is committed if a person, through willful or negligent acts or omissions, fails to provide a child younger than 

age 18 who is in the person’s custody adequate supervision, medical care, food, clothing, or shelter with the result that 

the child’s physical or mental health and well-being are harmed or threatened. 

Sexual Abuse/Exploitation

Citation: Commonwealth Code Tit. 6, §§ 1314; 5312

Child abuse is committed if the person engages in or attempts to engage in an act of sexual molestation with a child 

younger than age 18 who is in the person’s custody. 

A parent, legal guardian, or person having custody or control of a child younger than age 18 commits the crime of 

unlawful exploitation of a minor if the person permits the child to engage in [actual or simulated] conduct [of a sexual 

nature] knowing that the conduct is intended to be used in producing a live performance, film, audio, video, electronic, 

or electromagnetic recording, photograph, negative, slide, book, newspaper, magazine, or other material that visually or 

aurally depicts the conduct.

Emotional Abuse

Citation: Commonwealth Code Tit. 6, § 5312

Mental distress or injury means an effect on the intellectual or psychological capacity of a child as evidenced by 

observable and substantial impairment of his or her ability to function within normal ranges of performance and behavior, 

with due regard to his or her culture. 

Abandonment

This issue is not addressed in the statutes reviewed.

Standards for Reporting

Citation: Commonwealth Code Tit. 6, § 5313

A report is required when a person knows or has reasonable cause to suspect that a child is abused or neglected. 
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Persons Responsible for the Child

Citation: Commonwealth Code Tit. 6, §§ 1314; 5312

Responsible persons include:

• A parent or legal guardian 

• A person who has custody or control of a child 

Exceptions

Citation: Commonwealth Code Tit. 6, § 5312

Child abuse does not include the exercise of reasonable and traditional parental discipline. 

Ohio

Physical Abuse

Citation: Rev. Stat. §§ 2151.031; 2919.22

Abused child includes any child who: 

• Is endangered as defined § 2919.22

• Exhibits evidence of any physical or mental injury or death, inflicted by other than accidental means, that is at 

variance with the history given of it

• Suffers physical or mental injury that harms or threatens to harm the child’s health or welfare because of the acts of 

his or her parent, guardian, or custodian 

• Is subjected to out-of-home-care child abuse 

Endangering children includes any of the following acts committed against a child under age 18 or a mentally or 

physically handicapped child under age 21:

• Abuse, torture, or cruel abuse

• Corporal punishment, other physical disciplinary measure, or physical restraint in a cruel manner or for a 

prolonged period that creates a substantial risk of serious physical harm to the child

• Repeated and unwarranted disciplinary measures that, if continued, create a substantial risk of serious impairment 

of the child’s mental health or development 

• Allowing the child to be on the same parcel of real property and within 100 feet of, or, in the case of more than 

one housing unit on the same parcel of real property, in the same housing unit and within 100 feet of, the illegal 

manufacture of drugs, cultivation of marijuana, or possession of chemicals for the illegal manufacture, when the 

person knows that the act is occurring, whether or not any person is prosecuted for or convicted of the violation

Neglect

Citation: Rev. Stat. § 2151.03(A)

Neglected child includes any child: 

• Who lacks proper parental care because of the faults or habits of the child’s parents, guardian, or custodian 

• Whose parents, guardian, or custodian neglects the child or refuses to provide proper or necessary subsistence, 

education, medical or surgical care or treatment, or other care necessary for the child’s health, morals, or wellbeing 

• Whose parents, guardian, or custodian neglects the child or refuses to provide the special care made necessary by 

the child’s mental condition 

• Whose parents, legal guardian, or custodian have placed or attempted to place the child in violation of statutes 

regarding the placement and adoption of children

• Who, because of the omission of the child’s parents, guardian, or custodian, suffers physical or mental injury that 

harms or threatens to harm the child’s health or welfare 

• Who is subjected to child neglect in out-of-home care
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Sexual Abuse/Exploitation

Citation: Rev. Stat. §§ 2151.031; 2907.01; 2919.22

The term abused child includes a child who is the victim of sexual activity when such activity would constitute an offense, 

except that the court need not find that any person has been convicted of the offense in order to find that the child is an 

abused child. Sexual activity means sexual conduct or sexual contact or both.

Sexual conduct means vaginal intercourse between a male and female; anal intercourse, fellatio, and cunnilingus 

between persons regardless of sex; and, without privilege to do so, the insertion, however slight, of any part of the body 

of any instrument, apparatus, or other object into the vaginal or anal opening of another. Penetration, however slight, is 

sufficient to complete vaginal or anal intercourse. 

Sexual contact means any touching of an erogenous zone of another, including without limitation, the thigh, genitals, 

buttocks, pubic region, and if the person is a female, a breast, for the purpose of sexually arousing or gratifying either 

person. 

A person commits the crime of endangering children when the person does any of the following to a child: Entice, 

coerce, permit, encourage, compel, hire, employ, use, or allow the child to act, model, or in any other way participate in, 

or be photographed for, the production, presentation, dissemination, or advertisement of any material or performance 

that the offender knows or reasonably should know is obscene, sexually oriented, or nudity-oriented matter. 

Emotional Abuse

Citation: Rev. Stat. § 2151.011

Mental injury means any behavioral, cognitive, emotional, or mental disorder in a child caused by an act or omission that 

is described in § 2919.22 and is committed by a parent or other person who is responsible for the child’s care.

Abandonment

Citation: Rev. Stat. §§ 2151.03(A); 2151.011

The term neglected child includes a child who is abandoned by his or her parents, guardian, or custodian. 

A child shall be presumed abandoned when his or her parents have failed to visit or maintain contact with him or her for 

more than 90 days, regardless of whether the parents resume contact with the child after that period of 90 days.

Standards for Reporting

Citation: Rev. Stat. § 2151.421

A report is required when a person knows or has reasonable cause to suspect that a child has suffered or faces a threat of 

suffering abuse or neglect.

Persons Responsible for the Child

Citation: Rev. Stat. §§ 2151.03(A); 2151.011

Responsible persons include:

• The child’s parents, guardian, or custodian

• Other persons responsible for the child’s care 

Exceptions

Citation: Rev. Stat. §§ 2151.03(B); 2151.031; 2919.22

Nothing in this chapter shall be construed as subjecting a parent to criminal liability when, solely in the practice of 

religious beliefs, the parent fails to provide adequate medical or surgical care or treatment for the child. This section:

• Does not abrogate or limit any person’s responsibility to report child abuse or neglect that is known or reasonably 

suspected or believed to have occurred, and to report children who are known to face or are reasonably 

suspected or believed to be facing a threat of suffering abuse or neglect

• Does not preclude any exercise of the authority of the State, any political subdivision, or any court to ensure that 

medical or surgical care or treatment is provided to a child when the child’s health requires it

A child exhibiting evidence of corporal punishment or other physical disciplinary measure by a parent is not an abused 

child if the measure is not prohibited under § 2919.22 [that prohibits cruel or excessive means of discipline]. 
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Oklahoma 

Physical Abuse

Citation: Ann. Stat. Tit. 10A, § 1-1-105

Abuse means harm, threatened harm, or failure to protect from harm or threatened harm, to the health, safety, or welfare 

of a child by a person responsible for the child’s health, safety, or welfare, including, but not limited to, nonaccidental 

physical or mental injury, sexual abuse, or sexual exploitation.

Harm or threatened harm to the health or safety of a child means any real or threatened physical, mental, or emotional 

injury or damage to the body or mind that is not accidental, including, but not limited to, sexual abuse, sexual 

exploitation, neglect, or dependency.

Heinous and shocking abuse includes, but is not limited to, aggravated physical abuse that results in serious bodily, 

mental, or emotional injury. Serious bodily injury means injury that involves:

• A substantial risk of death

• Extreme physical pain

• Protracted disfigurement

• A loss or impairment of the function of a body member, organ, or mental faculty

• An injury to an internal or external organ or the body

• A bone fracture

• Sexual abuse or sexual exploitation

• Chronic abuse, including, but not limited to, physical, emotional, or sexual abuse, or sexual exploitation that is 

repeated or continuing

• Torture, including, but not limited to, inflicting, participating in, or assisting in inflicting, intense physical or 

emotional pain upon a child repeatedly over a period of time for the purpose of coercing or terrorizing a child for 

the purpose of satisfying the craven, cruel, or prurient desires of the perpetrator or another person

• Any other similar aggravated circumstance

Neglect

Citation: Ann. Stat. Tit. 10A, § 1-1-105

Neglect means any of the following:

• The failure of omission to provide any of the following:

» Adequate nurturance and affection, food, clothing, shelter, sanitation, hygiene, or appropriate education

» Medical, dental, or behavioral health care

» Supervision or appropriate caregivers

» Special care made necessary by the physical or mental condition of the child

• The failure or omission to protect a child from exposure to any of the following:

» The use, possession, sale, or manufacture of illegal drugs

» Illegal activities

» Sexual acts or materials that are not age-appropriate

• Abandonment

Heinous and shocking neglect includes, but is not limited to:

• Chronic neglect, including a persistent pattern of family functioning, in which the caregiver has not met or 

sustained the basic needs of a child that results in harm to the child

• Neglect that has resulted in a diagnosis for the child of failure to thrive

• An act or failure to act by a parent that results in the death or near death of a child or sibling, serious physical or 

emotional harm; sexual abuse or sexual exploitation; or presents an imminent risk of serious harm to a child

• Any other similar aggravating circumstance
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Sexual Abuse/Exploitation

Citation: Ann. Stat. Tit. 10A, § 1-1-105

Harm or threatened harm to a child’s health or safety includes, but is not limited to, sexual abuse or sexual exploitation. 

Sexual abuse includes, but is not limited to, rape, incest, and lewd or indecent acts or proposals made to a child, as 

defined by law, by a person responsible for the child’s health, safety, or welfare. 

Sexual exploitation includes, but is not limited to: 

• Allowing, permitting, or encouraging a child to engage in prostitution, as defined by law, by a person responsible 

for the child’s health, safety, or welfare

• Allowing, permitting, encouraging, or engaging in the lewd, obscene, or pornographic photographing, filming, or 

depicting of a child in those acts by a person responsible for the child’s health, safety, or welfare 

Emotional Abuse

Citation: Ann. Stat. Tit. 10A, § 1-1-105

Harm or threatened harm to a child’s health or safety includes, but is not limited to, mental injury.

Abandonment

Citation: Ann. Stat. Tit. 10A, § 1-1-105

Abandonment means:

• The willful intent by words, actions, or omissions not to return for a child

• The failure to maintain a significant parental relationship with a child through visitation or communication in which 

incidental or token visits or communication are not considered significant

• The failure to respond to notice of deprived proceedings

Standards for Reporting

Citation: Ann. Stat. Tit. 10A, § 1-2-101

A report is required when a person has reason to believe that a child is a victim of abuse or neglect.

Persons Responsible for the Child

Citation: Ann. Stat. Tit. 10A, § 1-1-105

Person responsible for a child’s health, safety, or welfare includes: 

• A parent, legal guardian, custodian, or foster parent 

• A person age 18 or older with whom the child’s parent cohabits or any other adult residing in the home of the 

child 

• An agent or employee of a public or private residential home, institution, facility, or day treatment program or an 

owner, operator, or employee of a child care facility 

Exceptions

Citation: Ann. Stat. Tit. 10A, § 1-1-105

Nothing contained in this act shall prohibit any parent, teacher, or other person from using ordinary force as a means of 

discipline, including, but not limited to, spanking, switching, or paddling. 

A child is not considered abused or neglected for the sole reason that the parent, in good faith, selects and depends 

upon spiritual means alone through prayer, in accordance with the tenets and practice of a recognized church or religious 

denomination, for the treatment or cure of disease or remedial care of such child. Nothing contained in this paragraph 

shall prevent a court from immediately assuming custody of a child and ordering whatever action may be necessary, 

including medical treatment, to protect the child’s health or welfare.

No medical treatment of a child with a disability shall be necessary if, in the reasonable medical judgment of the 

attending physician, such treatment would be futile in saving the life of the child. 
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Oregon

Physical Abuse

Citation: Rev. Stat. § 419B.005

Abuse means: 

• An assault on a child and physical injury to a child that has been caused by other than accidental means, including 

injury that appears to be at variance with the explanation given of the injury 

• Threatened harm to a child, that means subjecting a child to a substantial risk of harm to the child’s health or 

welfare 

• Permitting a person under age 18 to enter or remain in or upon premises where methamphetamine is being 

manufactured

• Unlawful exposure to a controlled substance that subjects a child to a substantial risk of harm to his or her health 

or safety

Neglect

Citation: Rev. Stat. § 419B.005

The term abuse includes negligent treatment or maltreatment of a child, including but not limited to, the failure to 

provide adequate food, clothing, shelter, or medical care that is likely to endanger the health or welfare of the child. 

Sexual Abuse/Exploitation

Citation: Rev. Stat. § 419B.005

The term abuse includes: 

• Rape of a child, which includes but is not limited to, rape, sodomy, unlawful sexual penetration, and incest 

• Sexual abuse as described in chapter 163

• Sexual exploitation, including, but not limited to:

» Contributing to the sexual delinquency of a minor 

» Conduct that allows, employs, authorizes, permits, induces, or encourages a child to engage in the performing 

for people to observe, or the photographing, filming, tape recording, or other exhibition that, in whole or in 

part, depicts sexual conduct or contact, sexual abuse involving a child, or rape of a child 

» Allowing, permitting, encouraging, or hiring a child to engage in prostitution 

Emotional Abuse

Citation: Rev. Stat. § 419B.005

The term abuse includes any mental injury to a child that shall include only observable and substantial impairment of 

the child’s mental or psychological ability to function caused by cruelty to the child, with due regard to the culture of the 

child. 

Abandonment

This issue is not addressed in the statutes reviewed. 

Standards for Reporting

Citation: Rev. Stat. § 419B.010

A report is required when there is reasonable cause to believe that a child has suffered abuse. 

Persons Responsible for the Child

Citation: Rev. Stat. § 419B.005

Responsible person may include any person. 

Exceptions

Citation: Rev. Stat. § 419B.005

Abuse does not include reasonable exercise of parental discipline. 
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Pennsylvania

Physical Abuse

Citation: Cons. Stat. Tit. 23, § 6303

Child abuse means any of the following: 

• Any recent act or failure to act by a perpetrator that causes nonaccidental serious physical injury to a child under 

age 18 

• Any recent act, failure to act, or series of such acts or failures to act by a perpetrator that creates an imminent risk 

of serious physical injury to a child under age 18 

Serious bodily injury means bodily injury that creates a substantial risk of death or causes serious permanent 

disfigurement or protracted loss or impairment of function of any bodily member or organ. 

Serious physical injury means an injury that causes a child severe pain or significantly impairs a child’s physical 

functioning, either temporarily or permanently. 

Nonaccidental means an injury that is the result of an intentional act that is committed with disregard of a substantial and 

unjustifiable risk.

Neglect

Citation: Cons. Stat. Tit. 23, § 6303

The term child abuse includes serious physical neglect by a perpetrator constituting prolonged or repeated lack of 

supervision or the failure to provide essentials of life, including adequate medical care, that endangers a child’s life or 

development or impairs the child’s functioning. 

Sexual Abuse/Exploitation

Citation: Cons. Stat. Tit. 23, § 6303

The term child abuse means any of the following: 

• An act or failure to act by a perpetrator that causes sexual abuse or sexual exploitation of a child under age 18 

• Any recent act, failure to act, or series of such acts or failures to act by a perpetrator that creates an imminent risk 

of sexual abuse or sexual exploitation of a child under age 18 

Sexual abuse or exploitation means any of the following:

• The employment, use, persuasion, inducement, enticement, or coercion of a child to engage in, or assist another 

individual to engage in, sexually explicit conduct

• The employment, use, persuasion, inducement, enticement, or coercion of a child to engage in, or assist another 

individual to engage in, simulation of sexually explicit conduct for the purpose of producing a visual depiction, 

including photographing, videotaping, computer depicting, and filming

• Any of the following offenses committed against a child:

» Rape

» Sexual assault

» Involuntary deviate sexual intercourse

» Aggravated indecent assault

» Molestation 

» Incest

» Indecent exposure

» Prostitution

» Sexual abuse

» Sexual exploitation
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Emotional Abuse

Citation: Cons. Stat. Tit. 23, § 6303

The term child abuse includes an act or failure to act by a perpetrator that causes nonaccidental serious mental injury to 

a child under age 18. 

Serious mental injury means a psychological condition, as diagnosed by a physician or licensed psychologist, including 

the refusal of appropriate treatment, that:

• Renders a child chronically and severely anxious, agitated, depressed, socially withdrawn, psychotic, or in 

reasonable fear that his or her life or safety is threatened 

• Seriously interferes with a child’s ability to accomplish age-appropriate development and social tasks 

Abandonment

This issue is not addressed in the statutes reviewed. 

Standards for Reporting

Citation: Cons. Stat. Tit. 23, § 6311

A report is required when there is reasonable cause to suspect that a child is a victim of abuse.

Persons Responsible for the Child

Citation: Cons. Stat. Tit. 23, § 6303

A perpetrator is a person who has committed child abuse and is:

• A parent of a child 

• A person responsible for the welfare of a child 

• An individual residing in the same home as a child 

• A paramour of a child’s parent 

Person responsible for the child’s welfare means a person who provides permanent or temporary care, supervision, 

mental health diagnosis or treatment, training, or control of a child in lieu of parental care, supervision, and control. 

The term does not include a person who is employed by or provides services or programs in a public or private school, 

intermediate unit, or area vocational-technical school. 

Exceptions

Citation: Cons. Stat. Tit. 23, § 6303

No child shall be deemed to be physically or mentally abused based on injuries that result solely from environmental 

factors that are beyond the control of the parent or person responsible for the child’s welfare, such as inadequate 

housing, furnishings, income, clothing, and medical care. 

If, upon investigation, the county agency determines that a child has not been provided needed medical or surgical care 

because of seriously held religious beliefs of the child’s parents, and such beliefs are consistent with those of a bona fide

religion, the child shall not be deemed to be physically or mentally abused. The county agency shall closely monitor the 

child and shall seek court-ordered medical intervention when the lack of medical or surgical care threatens the child’s life 

or long-term health. 

In cases involving religious circumstances, all correspondence with a subject of the report and the records of the 

Department of Public Welfare and the county agency shall not reference ‘child abuse’ and shall acknowledge the 

religious basis for the child’s condition, and the family shall be referred for general protective services, if appropriate. 
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Puerto Rico 

Physical Abuse

Citation: Ann. Laws Tit. 8, § 444

Abuse means any intentional act or omission by the father, mother, or other person in charge of the minor of such a 

nature that it causes or puts a minor at risk of suffering damage or harm to his or her health or physical, mental, and/or 

emotional integrity, including sexual abuse. Abuse shall also mean:

• Allowing another person to cause or to put the minor at risk of suffering damage or harm to his or her health or 

physical, mental, and/or emotional integrity

• Willfully abandoning a minor

• Allowing the father, mother, or other person in charge of the well-being of the minor to exploit him or her

• Allowing another person to exploit the minor by forcing or allowing the minor to perform any act, including but 

not limited to obscene acts for profit or in order to receive any other benefit, or to incur in any conduct that, if 

criminally prosecuted, would constitute a crime against the health or physical, mental, or emotional integrity of the 

minor, including sexual abuse of the minor

Minors will also be considered to be victims of abuse if the father, mother, or person responsible for the minor has 

engaged in acts that constitute domestic violence in the presence of minors.

Physical harm means any nonaccidental trauma, injury, or condition, including inadequate nourishment that, if left 

unattended, could result in death, disfigurement, illness, or temporary or permanent disability of any part or function of 

the body, including inadequate nourishment. The trauma, injury, or condition may also be the result of a single episode 

or several episodes.

Neglect

Citation: Ann. Laws Tit. 8, § 444; Tit. 31, § 634a(3)

Neglect means a type of abuse that consists of failing to perform the duties or to exercise the capacity to provide 

adequate food, clothing, shelter, education, or health care to a minor; failing to exercise supervision; or failing to visit the 

minor or to remain in contact or frequent communication with the minor. 

It is also considered neglect when the parent fails to comply with the duties or exercise the powers provided in title 31, § 

601(1). These duties include, but are not limited to, the duty of having the minor in his or her company according to law, 

of supervising his or her education and development, of adequately providing sustenance, clothing, shelter, education 

or health care, according to his or her wealth or with the means provided by the Commonwealth or any natural or 

juridical person. Health care includes any treatment or preventive measure required to attend to or prevent any condition 

involving the physical, mental, or emotional health of the minor. 

Sexual Abuse/Exploitation

Citation: Ann. Laws Tit. 8, § 444

The term abuse also means to engage in obscene behavior and/or use the minor to carry out obscene acts.

Sexual abuse means engaging in sexual conduct in the presence of a minor and/or using the minor, voluntarily or 

otherwise, to engage in sexual conduct aimed at satisfying lasciviousness, or any other act that, if criminally prosecuted, 

would constitute the crime of rape, sodomy, lewd or lascivious acts, indecent exposure, or obscene propositioning; or 

remitting, transporting, selling, distributing, publishing, exhibiting, or possessing obscene materials and obscene shows.

Emotional Abuse

Citation: Ann. Laws Tit. 8, § 444

Mental or emotional harm means the impairment of the intellectual or emotional capacity of a minor, given what is 

considered normal for his or her age or cultural environment. Moreover, emotional harm is deemed to exist when 

there is evidence that the minor recurrently manifests or exhibits behaviors such as fear, feelings of abandonment or 

hopelessness, frustration and failure, anxiety, insecurity, withdrawal, regressive behavior, or aggressive behavior toward 

himself or herself or toward others, or any other similar behavior.
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Abandonment

Citation: Ann. Laws Tit. 8, § 444

Abandonment means willful dereliction of or being remiss in the responsibilities that the father, mother, or other person 

in charge of the minor have, taking into account the minor’s age and need for adult care. The intention to abandon can 

be evidenced by, but is not limited to:

• A lack of communication with the minor for a period of at least 3 months

• A lack of participation in a plan or program designed to reunite the minor with the father, mother, or other person 

in charge of the well-being of the minor

• A failure to respond to notices of hearings for protection of the minor

• When the minor is found in circumstances that make it impossible to ascertain the identity of the father or mother; 

when the identity is known, but the whereabouts of the person is unknown, in spite of effort to locate him or her; 

or when the father or mother fails to claim the minor within 30 days after the minor is found

Standards for Reporting

Citation: Ann. Laws Tit. 8, § 446

A report is required when a person learns or comes to suspect that a minor has been or is at risk of becoming a victim of 

abuse or neglect. 

Persons Responsible for the Child

Citation: Ann. Laws Tit. 8, § 444

Responsible persons include the minor’s father, mother, or person responsible for the welfare of the minor.

Exceptions

Citation: Ann. Laws Tit. 31, § 634a(3)

No person may be deprived of patria potestas for the legitimate practice of his or her religious beliefs. However, when 

due to the above, the person fails to provide the minor with specifically prescribed health care, the court shall provide 

adequate remedies to attend to the health of the minor, and in appropriate cases, shall deprive the person of his or her 

de jure or de facto guardianship, or even of patria potestas as may be best for the minor’s health. 

Rhode Island 

Physical Abuse

Citation: Gen. Laws § 40-11-2

Abused and/or neglected child means a child whose physical or mental health or welfare is harmed or threatened with 

harm when his or her parent or other person responsible for his or her welfare: 

• Inflicts or allows to be inflicted upon the child physical or mental injury, including excessive corporal punishment 

• Creates or allows to be created a substantial risk of physical or mental injury to the child, including excessive 

corporal punishment 

Shaken baby syndrome means a form of abusive head trauma characterized by a constellation of symptoms caused by 

other than accidental traumatic injury resulting from the violent shaking and/or impact upon an infant or young child’s 

head. 
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Neglect

Citation: Gen. Laws § 40-11-2

The term abused and/or neglected child includes a child whose physical or mental health or welfare is harmed or 

threatened with harm when the child’s parent or other person responsible for his or her welfare: 

• Fails to supply the child with adequate food, clothing, shelter, or medical care, although financially able to do so 

or offered financial or other reasonable means to do so 

• Fails to provide the child with a minimum degree of care or proper supervision or guardianship because of his 

or her unwillingness or inability to do so by situations or conditions such as, but not limited to, social problems, 

mental incompetency, or the use of a drug, drugs, or alcohol to the extent that the parent or other person 

responsible for the child’s welfare loses his or her ability or is unwilling to properly care for the child 

Sexual Abuse/Exploitation

Citation: Gen. Laws § 40-11-2

The term abused and/or neglected child includes a child whose physical or mental health or welfare is harmed or 

threatened with harm when his or her parent or other person responsible for his or her welfare: 

• Commits or allows to be committed against the child an act of sexual abuse 

• Sexually exploits the child in that the person allows, permits, or encourages the child to engage in prostitution 

• Sexually exploits the child in that the person allows, permits, encourages, or engages in the obscene or 

pornographic photographing, filming, or depiction of the child in a setting that, taken as a whole, suggests to the 

average person that the child is about to engage in or has engaged in any sexual act, or that depicts any such 

child under age 18 performing sodomy, oral copulation, sexual intercourse, masturbation, or bestiality 

• Commits or allows to be committed any sexual offense against the child 

• Commits or allows to be committed against any child an act involving sexual penetration or sexual contact if the 

child is under age 15; or if the child is age 15 or older, and (1) force or coercion is used by the perpetrator or (2) 

the perpetrator knows or has reason to know that the victim is a severely impaired person or physically helpless 

Emotional Abuse

Citation: Gen. Laws § 40-11-2

Mental injury includes a state of substantially diminished psychological or intellectual functioning related to, but not 

limited to, such factors as failure to thrive, ability to think or reason, control of aggressive or self-destructive impulses, 

acting-out or misbehavior, that include incorrigibility, ungovernability, or habitual truancy. The injury must be clearly 

attributable to the unwillingness or inability of the parent or other person responsible for the child’s welfare to exercise a 

minimum degree of care toward the child.

Abandonment

Citation: Gen. Laws § 40-11-2

The term abused and/or neglected child includes a child whose physical or mental health or welfare is harmed or 

threatened with harm when his or her parent or other person responsible for his or her welfare abandons or deserts the 

child. 

Standards for Reporting

Citation: Gen. Laws § 40-11-3

A report is required when there is reasonable cause to know or suspect that a child has been abused or neglected. 
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Persons Responsible for the Child

Citation: Gen. Laws § 40-11-2

Person responsible for child’s welfare means: 

• The child’s parent or guardian 

• Any individual, age 18 age or older, who resides in the home of a parent or guardian and has unsupervised access 

to a child 

• A foster parent 

• An employee of a public or private residential home or facility

• Any staff person providing out-of-home care 

Exceptions

No exceptions are specified in statute. 

South Carolina

Physical Abuse

Citation: Ann. Code § 63-7-20

Child abuse or neglect or harm occurs when the parent, guardian, or other person responsible for the child’s welfare:

• Inflicts or allows to be inflicted upon the child physical or mental injury or engages in acts or omissions that 

present a substantial risk of physical or mental injury to the child, including injuries sustained as a result of 

excessive corporal punishment

• Abandons the child

• Encourages, condones, or approves the commission of delinquent acts by the child and the commission of the 

acts are shown to be the result of the encouragement or approval

• Has committed abuse or neglect as described above such that a child who subsequently becomes part of the 

person’s household is at substantial risk of one of those forms of abuse or neglect

Physical injury means death or permanent or temporary disfigurement or impairment of any bodily organ or function. 

Neglect

Citation: Ann. Code § 63-7-20

Child abuse or neglect or harm occurs when the parent, guardian, or other person responsible for the child’s welfare fails 

to supply the child with adequate food, clothing, shelter, education as required by law; supervision appropriate to the 

child’s age and development; or health care even though financially able to do so or offered financial or other reasonable 

means to do so and the failure to do so has caused or presents a substantial risk of causing physical or mental injury. 

Sexual Abuse/Exploitation

Citation: Ann. Code § 63-7-20

Child abuse or neglect or harm occurs when the parent, guardian, or other person responsible for the child’s welfare 

commits or allows to be committed against the child a sexual offense as defined by the laws of this State or engages 

in acts or omissions that present a substantial risk that a sexual offense as defined in the laws of this State would be 

committed against the child. 

Emotional Abuse

Citation: Ann. Code § 63-7-20

Mental injury means an injury to the intellectual, emotional, or psychological capacity or functioning of a child as 

evidenced by a discernible and substantial impairment of the child’s ability to function when the existence of that 

impairment is supported by the opinion of a mental health professional or medical professional. 
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Abandonment

Citation: Ann. Code § 63-7-20

Abandonment of a child means a parent or guardian willfully deserts a child or willfully surrenders physical possession of 

a child without making adequate arrangements for the child’s needs or the continuing care of the child. 

Standards for Reporting

Citation: Ann. Code § 63-7-310

A report is required when there is reason to believe that a child has been abused or neglected. 

Persons Responsible for the Child

Citation: Ann. Code § 63-7-20

Person responsible for a child’s welfare includes:

• The child’s parent, guardian, or foster parent

• An operator, employee, or caregiver, as defined by § 63-13-20, of a public or private residential home, institution, 

agency, or child care facility

• An adult who has assumed the role or responsibility of a parent or guardian for the child, but who does not 

necessarily have legal custody of the child

A person whose only role is as a caregiver and whose contact is only incidental with a child, such as a babysitter or a 

person who has only incidental contact but may not be a caregiver, has not assumed the role or responsibility of a parent 

or guardian.

Exceptions

Citation: Ann. Code § 63-7-20

The term child abuse or neglect excludes corporal punishment or physical discipline that:

• Is administered by a parent or person in loco parentis

• Is perpetrated for the sole purpose of restraining or correcting the child

• Is reasonable in manner and moderate in degree

• Has not brought about permanent or lasting damage to the child

• Is not reckless or grossly negligent behavior by the parents

A child’s absences from school may not be considered abuse or neglect unless the school has made efforts to bring 

about the child’s attendance, and those efforts were unsuccessful because of the parents’ refusal to cooperate. 

South Dakota 

Physical Abuse

Citation: Ann. Laws § 26-8A-2

Abused or neglected child means a child: 

• Whose parent, guardian, or custodian has subjected the child to mistreatment or abuse 

• Who was subject to prenatal exposure to abusive use of alcohol, marijuana, any controlled drug, or a substance 

not lawfully prescribed by a practitioner 
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Neglect

Citation: Ann. Laws § 26-8A-2

The term abused or neglected child includes a child: 

• Who lacks proper parental care through the actions or omissions of the child’s parent, guardian, or custodian 

• Whose environment is injurious to the child’s welfare 

• Whose parent, guardian, or custodian fails or refuses to provide proper or necessary subsistence, supervision, 

education, medical care, or any other care necessary for the child’s health, guidance, or well-being 

• Who is homeless, without proper care, or not domiciled with the child’s parent, guardian, or custodian through no 

fault of the child’s parent, guardian, or custodian 

• Whose parent, guardian, or custodian knowingly exposes the child to an environment that is being used for the 

manufacture, use, or distribution of methamphetamine or any other unlawfully manufactured controlled drug or 

substance 

Sexual Abuse/Exploitation

Citation: Ann. Laws § 26-8A-2

The term abused or neglected child includes a child who is subject to sexual abuse, sexual molestation, or sexual 

exploitation by the child’s parent, guardian, custodian, or any other person responsible for the child’s care. 

Emotional Abuse

Citation: Ann. Laws § 26-8A-2

The term abused or neglected child includes a child who has sustained emotional harm or mental injury as indicated by 

an injury to the child’s intellectual or psychological capacity, evidenced by an observable and substantial impairment in 

the child’s ability to function within the child’s normal range of performance and behavior, with due regard to the child’s 

culture. 

Abandonment

Citation: Ann. Laws § 26-8A-2

The term abused or neglected child includes a child whose parent, guardian, or custodian has abandoned the child. 

Standards for Reporting

Citation: Ann. Laws § 26-8A-3

A report is required when there is reasonable cause to suspect that a child has been abused or neglected. 

Persons Responsible for the Child

Citation: Ann. Laws § 26-8A-2

Responsible persons include a child’s parent, guardian, or custodian. 

Exceptions

No exceptions are specified in statute. 
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Tennessee 

Physical Abuse

Citation: Ann. Code § 37-1-102

Abuse exists when a person under age 18 is suffering from, has sustained, or may be in immediate danger of suffering 

from or sustaining a wound, injury, disability, or physical or mental condition caused by brutality, neglect, or other actions 

or inactions of a parent, relative, guardian, or caregiver. 

Severe child abuse means: 

• The knowing exposure of a child to or the knowing failure to protect a child from abuse or neglect that is likely to 

cause great bodily harm or death, and the knowing use of force on a child that is likely to cause great bodily harm 

• Specific brutality, abuse, or neglect toward a child that in the opinion of qualified experts has caused or will 

reasonably be expected to produce severe psychosis, severe neurotic disorder, severe depression, severe 

developmental delay or retardation, or severe impairment of the child’s ability to function adequately in the child’s 

environment, and the knowing failure to protect a child from such conduct

• The knowing failure to protect the child from the commission of any such act toward the child 

• Knowingly allowing a child to be present within a structure where the act of creating methamphetamine is 

occurring 

Neglect

Citation: Ann. Code § 37-1-102

Dependent and neglected child means a child:

• Who is without a parent, guardian, or legal custodian

• Whose parent, by reason of cruelty, mental incapacity, immorality, or depravity is unfit to care properly for the child

• Who is under unlawful or improper care, supervision, custody, or restraint by any person, corporation, agency, 

association, institution, society, or other organization or who is unlawfully kept out of school

• Whose parent or guardian neglects or refuses to provide necessary medical, surgical, institutional, or hospital care

• Who, because of lack of proper supervision, is found in a place the existence of which is in violation of law

• Who is in a condition of such want or suffering, or is under such improper guardianship or control, as to injure or 

endanger his or her morals or health 

• Who is suffering from abuse or neglect

• Who has been in the care and control of one or more agencies or persons not related by blood or marriage for a 

continuous period of 6 months or longer in the absence of a power of attorney or court order, and that person or 

agency has not initiated judicial proceedings seeking either legal custody or adoption of the child

• Who is or has been allowed, encouraged, or permitted to engage in prostitution or obscene or pornographic 

photographing, filming, posing, or similar activity, and whose parent or guardian neglects or refuses to protect the 

child from further such activity

• Who willfully has been left in the sole financial and physical care of a related caregiver for not less than 18 

consecutive months by the child’s parent(s) or legal custodian, and the child will suffer substantial harm if removed 

from the continuous care of such relative
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Sexual Abuse/Exploitation

Citation: Ann. Code § 37-1-602

Child sexual abuse means the commission of any act involving the unlawful sexual abuse, molestation, fondling, or carnal 

knowledge of a child under age 13 that, on or after November 1, 1989, constituted the criminal offense of: 

• Aggravated rape, sexual battery, or sexual exploitation of a minor 

• Criminal attempt for any of the offenses listed above 

• Especially aggravated sexual exploitation of a minor 

• Incest 

• Rape, sexual battery, or sexual exploitation of a minor 

Child sexual abuse also means one or more of the following acts: 

• Any penetration, however slight, of the vagina or anal opening of one person by the penis of another person, 

whether or not there is the emission of semen 

• Any contact between the genitals or anal opening of one person and the mouth or tongue of another person 

• Any intrusion by one person into the genitals or anal opening of another person, including the use of any object 

for this purpose 

• Intentional touching of the genitals or intimate parts, including the breasts, genital area, groin, inner thighs, and 

buttocks, or the clothing covering them, of either the child or the perpetrator 

• Intentional exposure of the perpetrator’s genitals in the presence of a child, or any other sexual act intentionally 

perpetrated in the presence of a child, if such exposure or sexual act is for the purpose of sexual arousal or 

gratification, aggression, degradation, or other similar purpose 

• Sexual exploitation of a child, which includes allowing, encouraging, or forcing a child to solicit for or engage in 

prostitution or engage in sexual exploitation

Emotional Abuse

Citation: Ann. Code § 37-1-602

Mental injury means an injury to the intellectual or psychological capacity of a child as evidenced by a discernible and 

substantial impairment in the child’s ability to function within the child’s normal range of performance and behavior, with 

due regard to the child’s culture. 

Abandonment

This issue is not addressed in the statutes reviewed. 

Standards for Reporting

Citation: Ann. Code §§ 37-1-493; 37-1-605

A report is required when a person knows or has reasonable cause to suspect that a child has been abused, neglected, 

or sexually abused.

Persons Responsible for the Child

Citation: Ann. Code §§ 37-1-102; 37-1-602

Responsible persons include:

• The child’s parent or guardian 

• A person with whom the child lives 

• Any other person responsible for a child’s care or welfare that includes, but is not limited to: 

» A legal custodian or foster parent 

» An employee of a public or private child care agency or public or private school 

» Any other person legally responsible for the child’s welfare in a residential setting 

Exceptions

Citation: Ann. Code § 37-1-602

Child sexual abuse does not include acts intended for a valid medical purpose or acts that may reasonably be construed 

to be normal caregiver responsibilities or interactions with or affection for a child. 
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Texas 

Physical Abuse

Citation: Fam. Code § 261.001

Abuse means the following acts or omissions by a person: 

• Physical injury that results in substantial harm to the child or the genuine threat of substantial harm from physical 

injury to the child, including an injury that is at variance with the history or explanation given and excluding 

an accident or reasonable discipline by a parent, guardian, or conservator that does not expose the child to a 

substantial risk of harm

• Failure to make a reasonable effort to prevent an action by another person that results in physical injury or 

substantial harm to the child 

• The current use by a person of a controlled substance in a manner or to the extent that the use results in physical, 

mental, or emotional injury to a child 

• Causing, expressly permitting, or encouraging a child to use a controlled substance 

Neglect

Citation: Fam. Code § 261.001

Neglect means the following acts or omissions by a person:

• Placing a child in, or failing to remove a child from, a situation that a reasonable person would realize requires 

judgment or actions beyond the child’s level of maturity, physical condition, or mental abilities and that results in 

bodily injury or a substantial risk of immediate harm to the child

• Failing to seek, obtain, or follow through with medical care for a child, with the failure resulting in or presenting a 

substantial risk of death, disfigurement, or bodily injury, or with the failure resulting in an observable and material 

impairment to the growth, development, or functioning of the child 

• Failing to provide a child with food, clothing, or shelter necessary to sustain the life or health of the child, 

excluding failure caused primarily by financial inability unless relief services had been offered and refused 

• Placing a child in, or failing to remove the child from, a situation in which the child would be exposed to a 

substantial risk of sexual conduct harmful to the child 

• Placing a child in, or failing to remove the child from, a situation in which the child would be exposed to acts or 

omissions that constitute sexual abuse 

• The failure by the person responsible for a child’s care, custody, or welfare to permit the child to return to the 

child’s home without arranging for the necessary care for the child after the child has been absent from the home 

for any reason, including having been in residential placement or having run away 

Sexual Abuse/Exploitation

Citation: Fam. Code § 261.001

The term abuse includes the following acts or omissions by a person:

• Sexual conduct harmful to a child’s mental, emotional, or physical welfare, including conduct that constitutes the 

offense of indecency with a child, sexual assault, or aggravated sexual assault 

• Failure to make a reasonable effort to prevent sexual conduct harmful to a child

• Compelling or encouraging a child to engage in sexual conduct 

• Causing, permitting, encouraging, engaging in, or allowing the photographing, filming, or depicting of a child if 

the person knew or should have known that the resulting photograph, film, or depiction of the child is obscene or 

pornographic 

• Causing, permitting, encouraging, engaging in, or allowing a sexual performance by a child 
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Emotional Abuse

Citation: Fam. Code § 261.001

The term abuse includes the following acts or omissions by a person:

• Mental or emotional injury to a child that results in an observable and material impairment in the child’s growth, 

development, or psychological functioning 

• Causing or permitting a 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 

Abandonment

Citation: Fam. Code § 261.001

The term neglect includes the leaving of a child in a situation where the child would be exposed to a substantial risk of 

physical or mental harm, without arranging for necessary care for the child, and the demonstration of intent not to return 

by a parent, guardian, or conservator of the child. 

Standards for Reporting

Citation: Fam. Code § 261.101

A report is required when there is cause to believe that the child’s physical or mental health has been adversely affected 

by abuse or neglect. 

Persons Responsible for the Child

Citation: Fam. Code § 261.001

Person responsible for a child’s care, custody, or welfare means a person who traditionally is responsible for a child’s care, 

custody, or welfare, including: 

• A parent, guardian, conservator, or foster parent of the child 

• A member of the child’s family or household, meaning persons living together in the same dwelling, without 

regard to whether they are related to each other, and includes persons who previously lived in the household 

• A person with whom the child’s parent cohabits 

• School personnel or a volunteer at the child’s school

• Personnel or a volunteer at a public or private child care facility that provides services for the child or at a public or 

private residential institution or facility where the child resides 

Exceptions

Citation: Fam. Code § 261.001

Abuse does not include reasonable discipline by a parent that does not expose the child to substantial risk of harm. 
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Utah

Physical Abuse

Citation: Ann. Code § 78A-6-105

Abuse means:

• Nonaccidental harm of a child

• Threatened harm of a child

• Sexual exploitation or sexual abuse

Abused child means a child who has been subjected to abuse.

Physical abuse means abuse that results in physical injury or damage to a child.

Severe abuse means abuse that causes or threatens to cause serious harm to a child. 

Neglect

Citation: Ann. Code § 78A-6-105

Neglect means:

• Lack of proper parental care of a child by reason of the fault or habits of the parent, guardian, or custodian

• Failure or refusal of a parent, guardian, or custodian to provide proper or necessary subsistence, education, or 

medical care, or any other care necessary for the child’s health, safety, morals, or well-being

• A child at risk of being neglected or abused because another child in the same home is neglected or abused

Neglected child means a child who has been subjected to neglect.

Severe neglect means neglect that causes or threatens to cause serious harm to a child. 
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Sexual Abuse/Exploitation

Citation: Ann. Code § 78A-6-105

Sexual abuse means:

• An act or attempted act of sexual intercourse, sodomy, incest, or molestation directed toward a child

• Engaging in any conduct with a child that would constitute an offense under any of the following terms, regardless 

of whether the person who engages in the conduct is actually charged with, or convicted of, the offense:

» Any sexual offense

» Child bigamy

» Incest

» Lewdness or sexual battery

» Lewdness involving a child

» Voyeurism

Sexual exploitation means knowingly:

• Employing, using, persuading, inducing, enticing, or coercing any child to:

» Pose in the nude for the purpose of sexual arousal of any person

» Engage in any sexual or simulated sexual conduct for the purpose of photographing, filming, recording, or 

displaying in any way the sexual or simulated sexual conduct

• Displaying, distributing, possessing for the purpose of distribution, or selling material depicting a child:

» In the nude, for the purpose of sexual arousal of any person

» Engaging in sexual or simulated sexual conduct

• Engaging in conduct that would constitute an offense under Title 76, Chapter 5a, Sexual Exploitation of Children, 

regardless of whether the person who engages in the conduct is actually charged with, or convicted of, the 

offense

Incest means engaging in sexual intercourse with a person whom the perpetrator knows to be his or her ancestor, 

descendant, brother, sister, uncle, aunt, nephew, niece, or first cousin. This includes relationships of:

• The whole or half blood, without regard to legitimacy

• Parent and child by adoption

• Stepparent and stepchild while the marriage creating the relationship exists

Emotional Abuse

Citation: Ann. Code § 78A-6-105

Harm means physical, emotional, or developmental injury or damage.

Abandonment

Citation: Ann. Code § 78A-6-105

The term neglect includes abandonment of a child, except as provided in Title 62A, Chapter 4a, Part 8, Safe 

Relinquishment of a Newborn Child. 

Standards for Reporting

Citation: Ann. Code § 62A-4a-403

A report is required when there is reasonable cause to believe that a child has been subjected to abuse or neglect.

Persons Responsible for the Child

Citation: Ann. Code § 62A-4a-402

A person responsible for a child’s care means the child’s parent, guardian, or other person responsible for the child’s care, 

whether in the same home as the child; a relative’s home; a group, family, or center daycare facility; a foster care home; 

or a residential institution. 
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Exceptions

Citation: Ann. Code § 78A-6-105

Abuse does not include:

• Reasonable discipline or management of a child, including withholding privileges

• The use of reasonable and necessary physical restraint or force on a child in self-defense, in defense of others, to 

protect the child, or to remove a weapon in the possession of a child in self-defense or defense of others

A parent or guardian legitimately practicing religious beliefs and who, for that reason, does not provide specified 

medical treatment for a child, is not guilty of neglect. A health-care decision made for a child by the child’s parent or 

guardian does not constitute neglect unless the State or other party to the proceeding shows by clear and convincing 

evidence that the health-care decision is not reasonable and informed. Nothing in this subsection may prohibit a parent 

or guardian from exercising the right to obtain a second health-care opinion. 

Vermont

Physical Abuse

Citation: Ann. Stat. Tit. 33, § 4912

Abused or neglected child means a child whose physical health, psychological growth and development, or welfare is 

harmed or is at substantial risk of harm by the acts or omissions of his or her parent or other person responsible for the 

child’s welfare. 

Harm can occur by physical injury. 

Physical injury means death, permanent or temporary disfigurement, or impairment of any bodily organ or function by 

other than accidental means. 

Neglect

Citation: Ann. Stat. Tit. 33, § 4912

Harm can occur by failure to supply the child with adequate food, clothing, shelter, or health care. 

Sexual Abuse/Exploitation

Citation: Ann. Stat. Tit. 33, § 4912

The term abused or neglected child includes a child who is sexually abused or at substantial risk of sexual abuse by any 

person. 

Sexual abuse consists of an act or acts by any person that involves sexual molestation or exploitation of a child including, 

but not limited to, incest, prostitution, rape, sodomy, or any lewd and lascivious conduct involving a child. 

Sexual abuse also includes aiding, abetting, counseling, hiring, or procuring a child to perform or participate in any 

photograph, motion picture, exhibition, show, representation, or other presentation that, in whole or in part, depicts 

sexual conduct, sexual excitement, or sadomasochistic abuse involving a child. 

Emotional Abuse

Citation: Ann. Stat. Tit. 33, § 4912

Harm can be caused by emotional maltreatment. 

Emotional maltreatment means a pattern of malicious behavior that results in a child’s impaired psychological growth and 

development. 

Abandonment

Citation: Ann. Stat. Tit. 33, § 4912

Harm can be caused by the abandonment of the child. 
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Standards for Reporting

Citation: Ann. Stat. Tit. 33, § 4913

A report is required when there is reasonable cause to believe that a child has been abused or neglected.

Persons Responsible for the Child

Citation: Ann. Stat. Tit. 33, § 4912

A person responsible for a child’s welfare includes: 

• The child’s parent, guardian, or foster parent 

• Any other adult residing in the home who serves in a parental role 

• An employee of a public or private residential home, institution, or agency 

• Any other person responsible for the child’s welfare while in a residential, educational, or child care setting, 

including any staff person 

Exceptions

Citation: Ann. Stat. Tit. 33, § 4912

A parent or other person responsible for a child’s care legitimately practicing his or her religious beliefs who thereby 

does not provide specified medical treatment for a child shall not be considered neglectful for that reason alone. 

Virgin Islands

Physical Abuse

Citation: Ann. Code Tit. 5, § 2502

Abuse means any physical injury inflicted on a child, other than by accidental means, by those responsible for the care 

and maintenance of the child, which causes or creates substantial risk of death, serious or protracted disfigurement, 

protracted impairment of physical health, or loss or protracted impairment of the function of any bodily organ.

Imminent danger to that child’s life or health means danger that involves: 

• Substantial physical pain 

• Serious bodily injury resulting in physical disfigurement 

• Substantial impairment of the function of a bodily member or organ 

• Injury that may result in death 

Neglect

Citation: Ann. Code Tit. 5, § 2502

Neglect means the failure of those responsible for the care and maintenance of the child to provide the necessary 

support, maintenance, education, and medical or mental health care, to the extent that the child’s health or welfare is 

harmed or threatened thereby. 

Sexual Abuse/Exploitation

Citation: Ann. Code Tit. 5, § 2502

The term abuse includes the sexual abuse of a child, as defined by law, or the sexual exploitation of a child, including the 

prostituting of a child, and the photographing or other depiction of a child for pornographic purposes, or a persistent 

course of sexual conduct that causes a child’s health or welfare to be harmed or threatened. 

Imminent danger to that child’s life or health means danger that involves actual or attempted sexual abuse. 

Emotional Abuse

Citation: Ann. Code Tit. 5, § 2502

The term abuse includes any mental injury inflicted on a child that causes or creates substantial risk of impairment of 

emotional health.

Imminent danger to that child’s life or health means danger that involves substantial impairment of the intellectual, 

psychological, or emotional capacity of a child caused by inhumane acts or conduct. 
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Abandonment

Citation: Ann. Code Tit. 5, § 2502

Abandoned child means a child whose parents, guardian, or custodian desert him or her for such a length of time and 

under such circumstances as to show an intent to evade the duty of rearing him or her or a reckless disregard for his or 

her needs. 

• It shall be a rebuttable presumption that the parent intends to abandon the child who has been left without any 

provision for his or her support or without communication from such parent for a period of 6 months. 

• If, in the opinion of the court, the evidence indicates that the parent has made only minimal efforts to support or 

communicate with the child, the court may declare the child to be abandoned. 

• Abandonment is a form of neglect. 

Standards for Reporting

Citation: Ann. Code Tit. 5, § 2533

A report is required when there is reasonable cause to suspect that a child has been subjected to abuse, sexual abuse, or 

neglect. 

Persons Responsible for the Child

Citation: Ann. Code Tit. 5, § 2502

Person responsible for a child’s care includes: 

• The child’s parent, guardian, or custodian 

• A person or agency responsible for the child’s welfare or care, whether the child is in his or her own home, shelter 

care, a detention home, a relative’s home, a foster home, or a residential institution 

Exceptions

No exceptions are specified in statute. 

Virginia 

Physical Abuse

Citation: Ann. Code § 63.2-100

Abused or neglected child means any child younger than age 18: 

• Whose parents or other person responsible for his or her care creates or inflicts, threatens to create or inflict, or 

allows to be created or inflicted, upon the child a physical or mental injury by other than accidental means, or 

creates a substantial risk of death, disfigurement, or impairment of bodily or mental functions 

• Who is with the parent or other responsible person either (1) during the manufacture or attempted manufacture of 

a schedule I or II controlled substance, or (2) during the unlawful sale of such substance, where such manufacture, 

or attempted manufacture or unlawful sale would constitute a felony violation 

• Whose parents or other responsible person creates a substantial risk of physical or mental injury by knowingly 

leaving the child alone in the same dwelling, including an apartment, with a person to whom the child is not 

related by blood or marriage and who the parent or other responsible person knows has been convicted of an 

offense against a minor for which registration is required as a violent sexual offender

Neglect

Citation: Ann. Code § 63.2-100

Abused or neglected child means any child younger than age 18: 

• Whose parents or other person responsible for his or her care neglects or refuses to provide care necessary for his 

or her health 

• Who is without parental care or guardianship caused by the unreasonable absence or the mental or physical 

incapacity of the child’s parent, guardian, legal custodian, or other person standing in loco parentis 
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Sexual Abuse/Exploitation

Citation: Ann. Code § 63.2-100

The term abused or neglected child includes any child younger than age 18 whose parents or other person responsible 

for his or her care commits or allows to be committed any act of sexual exploitation or any sexual act upon a child in 

violation of the law.

Emotional Abuse

Citation: Ann. Code § 63.2-100

The term abused or neglected child includes any child younger than age 18 whose parents or other person responsible 

for his or her care creates or inflicts, threatens to create or inflict, or allows to be created or inflicted upon the child a 

mental injury, or creates a substantial risk of impairment of mental functions. 

Abandonment

Citation: Ann. Code § 63.2-100

The term abused or neglected child includes any child younger than age 18 whose parents or other person responsible 

for his or her care abandons the child. 

Standards for Reporting

Citation: Ann. Code § 63.2-1509

A report is required when there is reason to suspect that a child is abused or neglected.

Persons Responsible for the Child

Citation: Ann. Code § 63.2-100

Responsible persons include the child’s parents or another person responsible for the care of the child.

Exceptions

Citation: Ann. Code § 63.2-100

No child who in good faith is under treatment solely by spiritual means through prayer, in accordance with the tenets and 

practices of a recognized church or religious denomination, shall for that reason alone be considered to be an abused or 

neglected child. Further, a decision by parents who have legal authority for the child, or in the absence of parents with 

legal authority for the child, any person with legal authority for the child, who refuses a particular medical treatment for a 

child with a life-threatening condition shall not be deemed a refusal to provide necessary care if:

• The decision is made jointly by the parents or other person with legal authority and the child.

• The child has reached age 14 and is sufficiently mature to have an informed opinion on the subject of his or her 

medical treatment.

• The parents or other person with legal authority and the child have considered alternative treatment options.

• The parents, or other person with legal authority, and the child believe in good faith that such decision is in the 

child’s best interests.
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Washington 

Physical Abuse

Citation: Rev. Code §§ 26.44.020; 26.44.030; 9A.16.100

Abuse or neglect means the injury of a child by any person under circumstances that cause harm to the child’s health, 

welfare, or safety, or the negligent treatment or maltreatment of a child by a person responsible for or providing care to 

the child. An abused child is a child who has been subjected to child abuse or neglect.

Severe abuse means any of the following:

• Any single act of abuse that causes physical trauma of sufficient severity that, if left untreated, could cause death

• Any single act of sexual abuse that causes significant bleeding, deep bruising, or significant external or internal 

swelling

• More than one act of physical abuse, each of which causes bleeding, deep bruising, significant external or internal 

swelling, bone fracture, or unconsciousness

Any use of force on a child by any other person is unlawful unless it is reasonable and moderate and is authorized in 

advance by the child’s parent or guardian for purposes of restraining or correcting the child. The following actions are 

presumed unreasonable when used to correct or restrain a child:

• Throwing, kicking, burning, or cutting a child

• Striking a child with a closed fist

• Shaking a child younger than age 3

• Interfering with a child’s breathing

• Threatening a child with a deadly weapon

• Doing any other act that is likely to cause and that does cause bodily harm greater than transient pain or minor 

temporary marks

The age, size, and condition of the child and the location of the injury shall be considered when determining whether the 

bodily harm is reasonable or moderate. This list is illustrative of unreasonable actions and is not intended to be exclusive. 

Neglect

Citation: Rev. Code §§ 26.44.020; 9A.42.100

Negligent treatment or maltreatment means an act or a failure to act, or the cumulative effects of a pattern of conduct, 

behavior, or inaction, that evidences a serious disregard of consequences of such magnitude as to constitute a clear and 

present danger to a child’s health, welfare, or safety, including but not limited to conduct prohibited under § 9A.42.100 

[endangerment with a controlled substance]. When considering whether a clear and present danger exists, evidence of a 

parent’s substance abuse as a contributing factor to negligent treatment or maltreatment shall be given great weight. 

It is endangerment with a controlled substance if the person knowingly or intentionally permits a dependent child 

to be exposed to, ingest, inhale, or have contact with methamphetamine or ephedrine, pseudoephedrine, or 

anhydrous ammonia, including their salts, isomers, and salts of isomers, that are being used in the manufacture of 

methamphetamine, including its salts, isomers, and salts of isomers.

Sexual Abuse/Exploitation

Citation: Rev. Code § 26.44.020

The term abuse or neglect includes the sexual abuse or sexual exploitation of a child by any person under circumstances 

that indicate that the child’s health, welfare, and safety are harmed. 

Sexual exploitation includes: 

• Allowing, permitting, or encouraging a child to engage in prostitution by any person 

• Allowing, permitting, encouraging, or engaging in the obscene or pornographic photographing, filming, or 

depicting of a child by any person 

Emotional Abuse

This issue is not addressed in the statutes reviewed.
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Abandonment

This issue is not addressed in the statutes reviewed.

Standards for Reporting

Citation: Rev. Code § 26.44.030

A report is required when there is reasonable cause to believe that a child has suffered abuse or neglect. 

Persons Responsible for the Child

Citation: Rev. Code § 26.44.020

Any person can be a responsible person.

Exceptions

Citation: Rev. Code §§ 26.44.015; 26.44.020; 9A.16.100

This chapter shall not be construed to authorize interference with child-raising practices, including reasonable parental 

discipline, that are not injurious to a child’s health, welfare, and safety.

Nothing in this chapter may be used to prohibit the reasonable use of corporal punishment as a means of discipline.

No parent or guardian may be deemed abusive or neglectful solely by reason of the parent’s or child’s blindness, 

deafness, developmental disability, or other handicap. 

The fact that siblings share a bedroom is not, in and of itself, negligent treatment or maltreatment. Poverty, 

homelessness, or exposure to domestic violence that is perpetrated against someone other than the child does not 

constitute negligent treatment or maltreatment in and of itself.

A person who is being furnished Christian Science treatment by a duly accredited Christian Science practitioner will not 

be considered, for that reason alone, a neglected person. 

The physical discipline of a child is not unlawful when it is reasonable and moderate and is inflicted by a parent, teacher, 

or guardian for purposes of restraining or correcting the child. 
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West Virginia 

Physical Abuse

Citation: Ann. Code § 49-1-3

Abused child means a child whose health or welfare is harmed or threatened by:

• A parent, guardian, or custodian who knowingly or intentionally inflicts, attempts to inflict, or knowingly allows 

another person to inflict, physical injury or mental or emotional injury, upon the child or another child in the home

• Sexual abuse or sexual exploitation

• The sale or attempted sale of a child by a parent, guardian, or custodian in violation of the law

• Domestic violence, as defined by § 48-27-202

• Physical injury as a result of excessive corporal punishment

Child abuse and neglect or child abuse or neglect means physical injury of a child by a parent, guardian, or custodian 

who is responsible for the child’s welfare under circumstances that harm or threaten the health and welfare of the child.

Imminent danger to the physical well-being of the child means an emergency situation in which the welfare or the life of 

the child is threatened. Such emergency situations may include: 

• Nonaccidental trauma inflicted by a parent, guardian, custodian, sibling, or a babysitter or other caregiver

• A combination of physical and other signs indicating a pattern of abuse that may be medically diagnosed as 

battered child syndrome

• Sale or attempted sale of the child by the parent, guardian, or custodian

Serious physical abuse means bodily injury that creates a substantial risk of death or causes serious or prolonged 

disfigurement, prolonged impairment of health, or prolonged loss or impairment of the function of any bodily organ.

Neglect

Citation: Ann. Code § 49-1-3

Neglected child means a child:

• Whose physical or mental health is harmed or threatened by a present refusal, failure, or inability of the child’s 

parent, guardian, or custodian to supply the child with necessary food, clothing, shelter, supervision, medical care, 

or education

• Who is presently without necessary food, clothing, shelter, medical care, education, or supervision because of the 

disappearance or absence of the child’s parent or custodian

Child abuse and neglect or child abuse or neglect means negligent treatment or maltreatment of a child by a parent, 

guardian, or custodian who is responsible for the child’s welfare under circumstances that harm or threaten the health 

and welfare of the child.

Imminent danger to the physical well-being of the child means an emergency situation in which the welfare or the life of 

the child is threatened. Such emergency situations may include: 

• Nutritional deprivation

• Inadequate treatment of serious illness or disease
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Sexual Abuse/Exploitation

Citation: Ann. Code § 49-1-3

Sexual abuse means:

• Engaging in, attempting to engage in, or knowingly procuring another person to engage in sexual intercourse, 

sexual intrusion, or sexual contact with a child younger than age 16, notwithstanding the fact that the child may 

have willingly participated in such conduct or the fact that the child may have suffered no apparent physical injury 

or mental or emotional injury as a result of such conduct

• Engaging in, attempting to engage in, or knowingly procuring another person to engage in sexual intercourse, 

sexual intrusion, or sexual contact with an child age 16 or older, notwithstanding the fact that the child may have 

consented to such conduct or the fact that the child may have suffered no apparent physical injury or mental or 

emotional injury as a result of such conduct 

• Any conduct whereby a parent, guardian, or custodian displays his or her sex organs to a child or procures another 

person to display his or her sex organs to a child for the purpose of gratifying the sexual desire of the parent, 

guardian, or custodian, of the person making such display, or of the child, or for the purpose of affronting or 

alarming the child

Sexual exploitation means an act whereby a parent, guardian, or custodian:

• Whether for financial gain or not, persuades, induces, entices, or coerces a child to engage in sexually explicit 

conduct 

• Persuades, induces, entices, or coerces a child to display his or her sex organs for the sexual gratification of the 

parent, guardian, custodian, or a third person, or to display his or her sex organs under circumstances in which the 

parent, guardian, or custodian knows such display is likely to be observed by others who would be affronted or 

alarmed

Emotional Abuse

Citation: Ann. Code § 49-1-3

The terms child abuse and neglect or child abuse or neglect include mental or emotional injury of a child by a parent, 

guardian, or custodian who is responsible for the child’s welfare, under circumstances that harm or threaten the health 

and welfare of the child. 

Imminent danger to the physical well-being of the child includes substantial emotional injury inflicted by a parent, 

guardian, or custodian. 

Abandonment

Citation: Ann. Code § 49-1-3

Imminent danger to the physical well-being of the child includes abandonment by the parent, guardian, or custodian. 

Standards for Reporting

Citation: Ann. Code § 49-6A-2

A report is required when there is reasonable cause to suspect that a child is neglected or abused.

Persons Responsible for the Child

Citation: Ann. Code § 49-1-3

Responsible persons include the child’s parent, guardian, or custodian.

Exceptions

Citation: Ann. Code § 49-1-3

A child is not considered neglected when:

• The lack of necessary food, clothing, shelter, or medical care is due primarily to a lack of financial means on the 

part of the parent. 

• The child’s education is conducted within the provisions of § 18-8-1 [that provides exemption from State 

compulsory education requirement for private school enrollment or homeschooling]. 
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Wisconsin

Physical Abuse

Citation: Ann. Stat. § 48.02

Abuse means any of the following: 

• Physical injury inflicted on a child by other than accidental means 

• When used in referring to an unborn child, serious physical harm inflicted on the unborn child, and the risk of 

serious physical harm to the child when born, caused by a habitual lack of self-control of the expectant mother 

of the unborn child in the use of alcohol beverages, controlled substances, or controlled substance analogs, 

exhibited to a severe degree 

• Manufacturing methamphetamine in violation of § 961.41(1)(e) under any of the following circumstances:

» With a child physically present during the manufacture

» In a child’s home, on the premises of a child’s home, or in a motor vehicle located on the premises of a child’s 

home

» Under any circumstances in which a reasonable person should have known that the manufacture would be 

seen, smelled, or heard by a child

Physical injury includes, but is not limited to, lacerations, fractured bones, burns, internal injuries, severe or frequent 

bruising, or great bodily harm.

Neglect

Citation: Ann. Stat. § 48.981

Neglect means failure, refusal, or inability of a parent, guardian, legal custodian, or other person exercising temporary 

or permanent control over a child, for reasons other than poverty, to provide necessary care, food, clothing, medical or 

dental care, or shelter so as to seriously endanger the physical health of the child.

Sexual Abuse/Exploitation

Citation: Ann. Stat. § 48.02

The term abuse includes any of the following: 

• Sexual intercourse or sexual contact 

• Sexual exploitation of a child 

• Permitting, allowing, or encouraging a child to engage in prostitution 

• Causing a child to view or listen to sexual activity 

• The exposure of one’s genitals to a child 

Emotional Abuse

Citation: Ann. Stat. § 48.02

The term abuse includes emotional damage for which the child’s parent, guardian, or legal custodian has neglected, 

refused, or been unable for reasons other than poverty to obtain the necessary treatment or to take steps to ameliorate 

the symptoms. 

Emotional damage means harm to a child’s psychological or intellectual functioning. Emotional damage shall be 

evidenced by one or more of the following characteristics exhibited to a severe degree: anxiety, depression, withdrawal, 

outward aggressive behavior, or a substantial and observable change in behavior, emotional response, or cognition that 

is not within the normal range for the child’s age and stage of development. 

Abandonment

This issue is not addressed in the statutes reviewed. 

Standards for Reporting

Citation: Ann. Stat. § 48.981

A report is required when there is reasonable cause to suspect that a child has been abused or neglected. 
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Persons Responsible for the Child

Citation: Ann. Stat. § 48.981

Responsible persons include:

• The child’s parent, guardian, or legal custodian 

• Any other person exercising temporary or permanent control over a child 

Exceptions

Citation: Ann. Stat. § 48.981

It is not considered neglect when the failure to provide a child with necessary care, food, clothing, shelter, medical, or 

dental care is due to poverty. 

Wyoming 

Physical Abuse

Citation: Ann. Stat. § 14-3-202

Abuse means inflicting or causing physical injury, harm, or imminent danger to the physical health or welfare of a child 

other than by accidental means, including excessive or unreasonable corporal punishment. 

Physical injury means any harm to a child, including but not limited to disfigurement, impairment of any bodily organ, 

skin bruising if greater in magnitude than minor bruising associated with reasonable corporal punishment, bleeding, 

burns, fracture of any bone, subdural hematoma, or substantial malnutrition. 

Neglect

Citation: Ann. Stat. § 14-3-202

The term abuse includes malnutrition or substantial risk of harm by reason of intentional or unintentional neglect. 

Neglect means a failure or refusal by those responsible for the child’s welfare to provide adequate care, maintenance, 

supervision, education, or medical, surgical, or any other care necessary for the child’s well-being. 

Sexual Abuse/Exploitation

Citation: Ann. Stat. § 14-3-202

The term abuse includes the commission or allowing the commission of a sexual offense against a child, as defined by 

law.

Emotional Abuse

Citation: Ann. Stat. § 14-3-202

The term abuse includes inflicting or causing mental injury or harm to the mental health or welfare of the child. 

Mental injury means an injury to the psychological capacity or emotional stability of a child as evidenced by an 

observable or substantial impairment in his or her ability to function within a normal range of performance and behavior 

with due regard to his or her culture. 

Abandonment

Citation: Ann. Stat. § 14-3-202

The term abuse includes abandonment, unless the abandonment is a relinquishment substantially in accordance with §§ 

14-11-101 through 14-11-109.

Standards for Reporting

Citation: Ann. Stat. § 14-3-205

A report is required when a person knows or has reasonable cause to suspect that a child has been abused or neglected. 
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Persons Responsible for the Child

Citation: Ann. Stat. § 14-3-202

A person responsible for a child’s welfare includes: 

• The child’s parent, noncustodial parent, guardian, custodian, stepparent, or foster parent 

• Any other person, institution, or agency having the physical custody or control of the child 

Exceptions

Citation: Ann. Stat. § 14-3-202

Treatment given in good faith by spiritual means alone through prayer by a duly accredited practitioner, in accordance 

with the tenets and practices of a recognized church or religious denomination, is not child neglect for that reason alone.