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Nevada law protects children from many forms of violence and neglect by imposing long prison sentences for those convicted of child abuse. A child abuse conviction can also negatively impact your custody rights.
If you are accused of abuse or neglect of a child in Nevada, call a Las Vegas child abuse defense lawyer right away.
Nevada parents are required to take responsibility for the care, custody, and control of a minor child. A child abuse or neglect charge states that a parent has violated one or more of these requirements by intentionally inflicting:
on a child under the age of 18. The abuse harms or threatens to harm the child’s health or welfare. Child abuse may result in the child’s inability to function in the range of normal performance or behavior.
Negligent treatment or maltreatment can mean abandoning a child or failing to provide proper care or supervision. This can also mean that the child does not have proper food, access to school, shelter, medical care, or other necessities for the child’s well-being. It is important to understand that this is only a crime if the parent refuses to provide for the child’s welfare, not if the parent cannot provide health insurance, for example.
Nick Wooldridge has a long track record of representing clients accused of serious federal and state crimes in Nevada.
Spanking is not necessarily child abuse; if the spanking becomes excessive corporal punishment, it can constitute abuse or neglect.
Any person responsible for the child (such as a parent or guardian) who abuses the child, who allows another person to abuse the child, or permits the abuse to occur, can be charged with abuse or neglect of a child.
Law enforcement and other agencies, including the child’s school and the Division of Family Services, Child Protective Services may become involved when child abuse is suspected. It is important to retain an attorney as soon as possible because reports of abuse do not need to be proven for an investigation to begin.
Whether abuse or neglect of a child is a misdemeanor or felony depends four factors:
When I initially met with Mr. Wooldridge, he took the opportunity to sit and go over my problem with me. He described details in my case which he found disturbing and explained why he I should have him on my side.
The most serious penalties are for abuse of a child under the age of 14 who suffers permanent physical or mental suffering from sexual abuse or exploitation. The perpetrator may be guilty of a Category A felony, punishable by imprisonment for life with the possibility of parole after 15 years. If a sexual abuse is not the cause of serious injuries, the abuse may be considered a Category B felony. Nevada Category B felonies carry 2 to 20 years in prison.
If a child is abused, but substantial physical or mental injuries do not occur, a person with no prior record of abuse can be charged with a gross misdemeanor. This can still mean 1 to 6 years in prison, and so retaining a Las Vegas child abuse attorney as soon as possible is very important.
The court will check for child abuse convictions in other states to determine whether this is a first time offense. If not, the potential punishment can increase to 2 to 15 years or more.
Contact LV Criminal Defense to discuss your rights if you have been accused of child abuse in Las Vegas Unfortunately, these claims are sometimes made improperly or without evidence, and you deserve a strong defense.
Domestic Violence