Title 16, Chapter 5, Section 70
( 16-5-70)
(a) A parent, guardian, or other person supervising the welfare of
or having immediate charge or custody of a child under the age of 18
commits the offense of cruelty to children in the first degree when
such person willfully deprives the child of necessary sustenance to
the extent that the child's health or well-being is jeopardized. (b) Any person commits the offense of cruelty to children in the
first degree when such person maliciously causes a child under the
age of 18 cruel or excessive physical or mental pain. (c) Any person commits the offense of cruelty to children in the
second degree when: (1) Such person, who is the primary aggressor, intentionally
allows a child under the age of 18 to witness the commission of a
forcible felony, battery, or family violence battery; or (2) Such person, who is the primary aggressor, having knowledge
that a child under the age of 18 is present and sees or hears the
act, commits a forcible felony, battery, or family violence
battery. (d) A person convicted of the offense of cruelty to children in the
first degree as provided in this Code section shall be punished by
imprisonment for not less than five nor more than 20 years. (e) A person convicted of the offense of cruelty to children in the
second degree shall be punished as for a misdemeanor upon the first
or second conviction. Upon conviction of a third or subsequent
offense of cruelty to children in the second degree, the defendant
shall be guilty of a felony and shall be sentenced to a fine not
less than $1,000.00 nor more than $5,000.00 or imprisonment for not
less than one year nor more than three years or shall be sentenced
to both fine and imprisonment. |