West Palm Beach Child Abuse Attorneys

Florida law defines child abuse as an intentional act that inflicts, or could reasonably inflict, physical or mental injury upon a child. The law also applies to those accused of encouraging such acts to be committed upon anyone under the age of 18.

The law includes definitions and consequences for child abuse, aggravated child abuse and child neglect.

• Child abuse: Prosecutors must prove a willful act of harm or potential physical or mental injury on a victim under the age of 18, or that a defendant encouraged another to commit such an act. The penalties can vary based on a defendant’s previous criminal record and the nature of the act. As a third-degree felony child abuse or neglect that doesn’t cause bodily harm is punishable by up to 5 years in prison and a $5,000 fine.
• Aggravated child abuse: Defined as willfully torturing, maliciously punishing, committing aggravated battery, or caging or abusing a child in ways that cause bodily injury, permanent disfigurement or permanent disability. Aggravated child abuse is punishable by up to 30 years in prison, 30 years of probation and a $10,000 fine. Statutory guidelines require a judge to sentence an offender to a minimum of 48 months in prison.

There are many defenses to allegations of child abuse in Florida. Early contact with an experienced West Palm Beach defense lawyer offers the best chance to protect your rights, your family and your relationship with your children.

• False allegations: These are quite common during child custody and divorce cases, or when a child is found delinquent or otherwise in trouble with the law. In many cases, DCF may make unwarranted or unsupported allegations. The only way to defend them is to aggressively fight the charges from the outset with the help of an experienced law firm. Failure to do so will likely result in bureaucratic involvement in your family’s affairs for years to come.
• Accidental act: Accidental injury is not child abuse. While the scenarios vary and the defense is not absolute (allegations of neglect could still apply), proving injury was accidental and/or unintentional, can result in a reduction or dismissal of the charges against you.
• Parental privilege: Everyone's an expert. Everyone has an opinion on child rearing. However, your opinion is the most important. Disciplining a child in a reasonable manner is your parental privilege. When unwarranted allegations of child abuse arise, they must always be aggressively defended.
• Insufficient evidence: Ineptness and incompetence of DCF personnel is in the news on a daily basis. Despite the fact that they often fail to act in countless egregious circumstances in which children were needlessly injured or killed as a result, the agency is notorious for acting with little or no evidence - of taking punitive action first and attempting to gather evidence or documentation later. Again, an aggressive and experienced West Palm Beach defense attorney can protect your rights and your family.

The experienced Palm Beach defense lawyers at Salnick Law, P.A. represent clients facing criminal charges in Palm Beach County and throughout the area, including West Palm Beach, Boca Raton, Delray Beach, Boynton Beach, Jupiter, Lake Worth, Riviera Beach, Greenacres, Lantana and Palm Springs.

Call 561-471-1000 today for a free and confidential consultation to discuss your rights.