Plano, Texas Neglect and Abandonment Attorney

Lawyer in Collin County for Clients Charged With Child Abandonment

At The Crowder Law Firm, P.C., we understand that there are many different ways you could be charged with a crime related to the abuse of a child. Some involve alleged actions that directly harmed the child, such as domestic assault or sexual abuse, but others are considerably more subjective. The charge of abandoning a child, for example, is one that can be rather complex for prosecutors to prove.

If you have been charged in connection with child neglect or abandonment, you need a lawyer who will fight to protect your rights, your future, and your reputation. You need Attorney Darlina Crowder. Ms. Crowder has more than 20 years of experience in the practice of criminal law, and she was obtained more than 300 acquittals and not-guilty verdicts for her clients. She and the rest of her team are equipped to provide you with the guidance you need and the aggressive defense you deserve.

Understanding Child Abandonment Laws in Texas

The terms "neglect" and "abandonment" are often used in connection with one another, and the two are most certainly related. Under Texas law, however, the word neglect is used primarily in the Family Code to describe unacceptable behaviors by parents, guardians, and other caregivers. In the Texas Penal Code, such behaviors may be considered offenses of abandoning or endangering a child.

According to Section 22.041 of the Texas Penal Code, a person commits an offense when he or she is responsible for a child under the age of 15 and leaves the child anywhere without "reasonable and necessary care" such that the child is exposed "to an unreasonable risk of harm." Child abandonment is a state jail felony if the defendant intended to return to the child and a third-degree felony if the defendant did not intend to return. The charge is a second-degree felony if the abandonment occurs in a manner that a reasonable person would believe that the child is imminent danger of bodily injury or death. Penalties for a second-degree felony conviction include a prison sentence of up to 20 years and $10,000 in fines.

Experienced Defense Counsel in McKinney and Denton

At The Crowder Law Firm, P.C., we recognize that child abandonment charges are dependent on whether or not the actions of the defendant were considered to be reasonable. If you are facing prosecution for abandoning a child, the state must prove that you left a child on his or her own in a situation that was not reasonable to do so. "Reasonable" is a very subjective standard, which means that there is a great deal of room for debate over what the average person would consider reasonable.

When you contact our firm to help with your child abandonment case, we will go right to work in investigating the details of your arrest and the circumstances surrounding it. We will look for any and all information that could be used to show that you acted reasonably and in good faith, even if some believe that a child was placed at risk. Our team will do everything possible to help you avoid a conviction and to limit the impact to the rest of your life.

Call 214-544-0061 for a Free Consultation

To learn more about child abandonment and neglect charges in the state of Texas, contact our office. Call 214-544-0061 for your free, no-obligation consultation and case review today. Located in Plano, The Crowder Law Firm, P.C. serves clients in Dallas, Fort Worth, Denton, McKinney, Garland, Frisco, Collin County, Tarrant County, Dallas County, Denton County, Grayson County, and the surrounding areas.