What is Child Abuse in PA? Bodily injury
What is Child Abuse in PA?
Bodily Injury
Causing bodily injury to a child through any recent act or failure to act.
Bodily injury = an injury that impairs a child’s physical condition or causes substantial pain.
Take Note: “Recent” is defined as within two years of the date of report filed with the county or Pennsylvania Department of Human Services.
Take Note: Child abuse and neglect can occur through an action or failure to act.
Other types of abuse…
- Sexual Abuse or Exploitation
- Serious Mental Injury
- Neglect
- Per Se (e.g., actions that endanger a child but might not lead to a physical injury)
- Harmful exaggeration or misrepresentation of a child’s medical condition
- Causing the death of the child
