Child Abuse, Neglect and Endangerment

Child neglect is an act of caregivers (e.g., parents) that results in depriving a child of their basic needs, such as the failure to provide adequate nutrition, supervision, health care, clothing, or housing, as well as other physical, emotional, social, educational, and safety needs.

Child abandonment is the practice of relinquishing interests and claims over one's offspring in an illegal way, with the intent of never resuming or reasserting guardianship.

Baby farming was a historical form of foster care where unrelated individuals accepted custody of an infant or young child in exchange for payment from the mother or parents.

Institutional abuse is the maltreatment of a person (often children or older adults) from a system of power.

Child abuse (also called child maltreatment) is physical, sexual, emotional and/or psychological maltreatment or neglect of a child, especially by a parent or a caregiver.

The negligence must be aggravated, culpable, gross, or reckless, that is, the conduct of the accused must be such a departure from what would be the conduct of an ordinarily prudent or careful [person] under the same circumstances as to be incompatible with a proper regard for human life … or an indifference to consequences.