Child Abuse Defense Attorneys in Colorado Springs
Child Abuse Defense Attorneys in Colorado Springs
Charged with Child Abuse in Colorado Springs?
You Need a Criminal Defense Attorney
If you are facing charges of child abuse, you need legal representation from a child abuse defense attorney, which is part of criminal defense law. The criminal defense attorneys at Perkins Law in Colorado Springs can help defend your case.
Click to schedule a free consultation with a Colorado Springs criminal defense attorney.
Don’t Let a False Child Abuse Allegation Ruin Your Life
To a child, the world can be a big and scary place. Kids don’t have the knowledge, maturity, strength, or resources to fend for themselves. That’s why a parent’s love, care, and protection is so important. That is also why Colorado law makes child abuse such a severe offense.
Colorado Springs law enforcement officers, prosecutors, and the community at large are particularly harsh towards those who abuse or mistreat children. While the need and desire to protect children from violence and harm is critical and understandable, the result can be unwarranted arrests and charges when officials err on the side of a child’s well-being.
Police will often arrest a parent or other adult in circumstances where there was no actual abuse or misconstrue an act of reasonable parental discipline as a criminally abusive act.
More about Colorado laws: Colorado-4-Kids Child Abuse FAQ
Child Abuse Charges Put Your Family and Future At Serious Risk
Regardless of whether claims of child abuse against you arising from a misunderstanding, a false accusation, or a momentary lapse in your judgment, everything is on the line – your family, career, reputation, freedom, and future. You are fooling yourself and risking everything if you attempt to defend yourself or think that just telling your side of the story will make everything okay.
Quite simply, if you want to get the best outcome when facing Colorado Springs child abuse charges, you need an experienced Colorado Springs criminal defense attorney who understands the delicate nature of these cases and appreciates how much is at stake for you.
What is Child Abuse in Colorado Springs?
Many people mistakenly believe that child abuse must involve physical violence against a child to be considered a criminal offense. Indeed, such action can get you convicted for child abuse. But Colorado law defines child abuse much more broadly and includes most anything that unreasonably puts the child’s life or health at risk, whether or not they suffer any actual harm.
Colorado Revised Statutes § 18-6-401 provides that an individual commits child abuse if he or she:
- Causes an injury to a child’s life or health, or
- Unreasonably places or permits a child to be in a situation that poses a threat of injury to the child’s life or health, or
- Engages in a continued pattern of conduct that results in malnourishment, lack of proper medical care, cruel punishment, mistreatment, or an accumulation of injuries that ultimately results in the death of a child or serious bodily injury to a child.
Under this expansive definition, a whole range of behaviors beyond striking a child can lead to a child abuse conviction, such as:
- Driving while intoxicated with a child in the car
- Leaving a child unsupervised in a hot car
- Failing to get medical attention for an ill child
- Excessive physical discipline
Severe Consequences for Child Abuse in Colorado
Depending on the nature and severity of the allegations and the extent of actual harm to the child, Colorado Springs prosecutors can charge child abuse as either a misdemeanor or a felony.
Do not make the mistake of treating misdemeanor child abuse charges lightly. You still need the help of a Colorado Springs child abuse lawyer because you face harsher penalties than you would for other misdemeanors since child abuse is an “extraordinary risk” crime under Colorado law.
Misdemeanor child abuse penalties in Colorado are:
- Up to 12 months in jail: Child abuse which is the result of criminal negligence without injury is a class three misdemeanor.
- Up to 18 months in jail: If the abuse is knowing or reckless but does not result in injury, it is a class two misdemeanor.
- Up to two years in jail: If you injure a child but do not cause serious bodily injury, it is a class one misdemeanor.
If the child abuse leads to serious bodily injury or death or is a second or subsequent conviction, prosecutors will charge you with a felony, and you will face the prospect of years or decades behind bars, including the possibility of life in prison.
Colorado Springs Child Abuse Defense Attorneys Perkins Law Ready to Help You
The child abuse defense attorneys at Perkins Law brings our extensive experience, smart and strategic advocacy, and fierce determination to the defense of those dealing with the nightmare of these serious charges. Calling us to arrange for your free initial consultation is the first step in putting this ordeal behind you.
With genuine care about your well-being and a lack of judgment about you or the circumstances surrounding the allegations, we will listen to your story, help you understand your situation and options, and develop a plan to get you the best possible result. While an acquittal or dismissal of the charges is always the goal, Perkins Law will also explore alternative approaches if they offer a better chance of minimizing penalties and consequences.
If child abuse allegations cloud your future and threaten your relationships and reputation, the Colorado Springs child abuse defense lawyers at Perkins Law can give you the best chance at clearing things up. With personal attention and a thorough understanding of what is necessary to fight Colorado child abuse charges successfully, we will be your steadfast allies and advocates throughout this challenging time.