McKinney, TX Child Abuse Defense Attorneys

Defense Lawyers for Injury to a Child Charges in McKinney, Texas

Accusations related to child abuse can be serious, and people in these situations may not only face criminal prosecution, but they may also encounter issues that could affect family relationships and other parts of their lives. These charges may occur after a child suffers an injury, after a medical condition is mistaken for abuse, or after parental discipline is misinterpreted and reported by a teacher, doctor, or family member. Understanding how to respond to these charges can be crucial, and an experienced attorney can help a parent or anyone else who has been accused of child abuse protect their rights.

At Texas Defense Firm, our attorneys work with clients who are facing child abuse allegations, making sure they take the right steps to defend against convictions while protecting their reputations and family relationships. With our understanding of how these cases are handled in criminal courts and by Child Protective Services, we can provide the legal help our clients need to resolve difficult matters successfully.

Charges of Injury to a Child

The offense that is commonly referred to as child abuse is known as injury to a child in Texas. A person could be charged with this offense based on accusations that they intentionally caused a child to suffer an injury, that they allowed a child to be harmed, or that they engaged in reckless or negligent behavior that led to a child's injury. In general, these charges may apply if a child under the age of 15 was injured. In addition to accusations involving intentional harm or abuse, a person could be charged with this offense based on their alleged failure to act and protect a child against foreseeable harm.

The severity of the charges may depend on the type of harm that allegedly occurred and a person's alleged mental state. If a person is accused of knowingly or intentionally causing a serious bodily injury that put a child at risk of death or permanent disability, they could be charged with a first-degree felony, which could lead to a sentence lasting from five to 99 years in prison. If a serious bodily injury allegedly occurred because of recklessness, a person may face second-degree felony charges, and they could be sentenced to between two and 20 years in prison.

If a child allegedly suffered an injury that is not considered to be a serious bodily injury, and this occurred because of a person's alleged intentional actions, the person could be charged with a third-degree felony. The penalties may include a sentence lasting from two to 10 years in prison. If a bodily injury was allegedly caused by a person's recklessness, the person may be charged with a state jail felony, and they may face a sentence lasting from six months to two years. Serious bodily injuries or other injuries to children that occurred because of a person's alleged negligence may also lead to state jail felony charges.

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Collateral Consequences of a Child Abuse Accusation

In addition to the potential penalties that a person may face because of criminal charges of injury to a child, an accusation of child abuse may lead to consequences that could affect other areas of a person's life. The situation may be investigated by the Texas Department of Family and Protective Services, which could lead to a safety plan, supervised visitation, or the temporary removal of a child from a parent's custody.

For parents who are involved in child custody or divorce proceedings, an accusation of child abuse could affect their custody and visitation rights. A family court judge may review a case, and if they believe that a parent could put a child's safety at risk, they may limit the parent's child custody rights or require supervised visitation.

A criminal conviction can affect a person's employment, especially if they work in a field involving contact with children. They could lose their professional license and face limitations on the types of jobs they can hold. Immigration consequences may apply for people who are not U.S. citizens. Accusations of child abuse can also cause damage to a person's reputation within their family and community.

Defense Strategies in Injury to a Child Cases

Several options for defense may be available in situations involving child abuse accusations. It may be possible to challenge evidence in a case and show that a child did not suffer a serious injury or that an injury was not caused by the actions of a parent or other adult. Our attorneys can help clients gather medical records and other evidence showing that child abuse did not occur.

It may be possible to show that children were injured accidentally rather than through intentional conduct or recklessness. Children may be injured while playing, or serious accidents may occur for reasons that were beyond a parent's control. Our lawyers can take steps to show that a parent or another adult who has been accused of child abuse was not responsible for an injury suffered by a child.

We may also take steps to respond to false accusations of child abuse. This may be an issue in child custody cases, family law proceedings, or situations involving disputes between family members. Our attorneys can help clients respond to these claims, show that accusations were fabricated, and demonstrate that no child abuse occurred.

Contact Our McKinney Child Abuse Defense Lawyers

Accusations of child abuse can lead to serious penalties that may affect a person and their family in many ways. Responding to these accusations and defending against a criminal conviction can be crucial. At Texas Defense Firm, we can protect the rights of people who are facing these types of charges while working to minimize the disruption that a family may experience. Contact our McKinney, TX injury to a child defense attorneys at 972-369-0577 to schedule a free consultation.