Understanding The Difference Between Child Abuse And Neglect In Florida

There are child abuse laws on the books for a very good reason. This is to keep children safe from toxic environments where they can sustain harm. A person that is accused of abusing their children will face harsh penalties if they are convicted of these crimes. This is because child abuse and neglect are prosecuted at the highest levels. Both are considered felonies in Florida.

If you have been charged with child abuse or neglect, get in touch with an attorney as soon as possible to preserve your rights and for help keeping your family intact. A conviction of child abuse or neglect can not only result in being sentenced to time behind bars and being slapped with costly fines, but most importantly, you may lose access to your children. This can throw your family in disarray. In Florida, the Orlando child abuse lawyer at Joshi Law Firm, PA, can help you in this situation fight your charges.

How Are Child Abuse and Child Neglect Different in Florida?

When the Department of Children and Families is launching an investigation into your home life because there is a suspicion that neglect or abuse is present, then it can be beneficial to have an experienced attorney on your side to help you through such a stressful situation.

While both child abuse and neglect can inflict significant harm on a child, they are defined differently. Under Florida abuse of children laws, these felony-level crimes are described in the following way:

Child Neglect

Child neglect happens when a caregiver disregards and ignores their duties to their children. Here, when there is a failure to take care of a minor child, not supervising them to keep them from harm, failing to provide them with necessary medical treatments or taking them to the doctor, not feeding them, and more exist then this is neglect. Neglect is something that can affect a child’s physical well-being and mental health. Neglect charges can result from many instances where poor behavior and ignoring a child’s well-being were exhibited. It can also happen when there is just one incident where substantial detriments to the child could have happened or actually did happen.

Child Abuse

Willful attempts to hurt a minor child either mentally, physically or both are considered child abuse. Additionally, abuse can occur by prompting someone else to engage in violent acts against a minor or having someone actively harm a child’s mental health.

Child abuse can be considered aggravated in the most extenuating situations. Aggravated child abuse is the caging of a child or extremely violent battery upon a child where the child suffers extensive physical bodily harm or disablement. Some examples include deep lacerations and puncture wounds, bone fractures, or widespread bruising. Typically, the judge in a child abuse case will decide if the alleged abuse left a child suffering from great bodily harm that warrants aggravated abuse.

Speak to a Florida Child Abuse Lawyer Today

It is not uncommon for allegations of child abuse to be manufactured and inflated. Still, the harm that they can have on a family and on a caregiver’s reputation can be damning. Securing the best outcome possible when child abuse charges have been levied against you is essential. For more information and help overcoming your charges, please call the Orlando criminal defense lawyers at Joshi Law Firm, PA, at (407) 661-1109 to schedule a free initial consultation.

Source:

leg.state.fl.us/Statutes/index.cfm?App_mode=Display_Statute&URL=0800-0899/0827/Sections/0827.03.html