Child Endangerment Laws in Arizona (A.R.S. 13-705)

Introduction

The type of abuse may fall into one of two categories, and that will determine what kind of punishment the offender may face.

In the first category of felony child abuse, the abuse is deemed likely to produce death or serious physical injury.

This includes:

1. If the abuse was done intentionally or knowingly, it’s a class 2 felony. If the victim is under the age of 15, the offender can be sentenced according to A.R.S. 13-705.
2. If the abuse was done recklessly, it’s a class 3 felony.
3. If the abuse was done because of criminal negligence, it’s a class 4 felony.

Child Abuse Not Likely to Produce Death or Serious Injury

If the felony abuse occurred under any other circumstances other than those likely to produce death or serious physical injury, the offender faces the following charges:

1. If the abuse was done intentionally or knowingly, it’s a class 4 felony.
2. If the abuse was done recklessly, it’s a class 5 felony.
3. If the abuse was done because of criminal negligence, it’s a class 6 felony.

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Felony Child Abuse Prison Sentences in Arizona

If an offender is convicted of felony child abuse, he or she will face one of the following prison sentences:

Felony	Mitigated	Minimum	Presumptive	Maximum	Aggravated
Class 2	3 years	4 years	5 years	10 years	12.5 years
Class 3	2 years	2.5 years	3.5 years	7 years	8.75 years
Class 4	1 year	1.5 years	2.5 years	3 years	3.75 years
Class 5	.5 years	.75 years	1.5 years	2 years	2.5 years
Class 6	.33 years	.5 years	1 year	1.5 years	2 years

The sentencing for child abuse varies greatly depending on the particular circumstances of the case, and how violent the abuse was. Arizona courts do not handle child abuse cases with much, if any, leniency and offenders are likely to face extremely harsh punishments.

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Meet the East Valley’s Premier Legal Defense Team

If you are facing felony child abuse charges in Phoenix, Scottsdale, Tempe, Chandler, or any other Arizona city, look to the domestic violence defense attorneys at JacksonWhite Law.

Our child abuse defense team will work to get your sentence minimized and your penalties reduced so that you can move forward with your life.

Call the JacksonWhite Criminal Law team at (480) 467-4370 to discuss your case today.