9A.42.035 - Criminal mistreatment in the third degree. - Washington Statutes

Criminal mistreatment in the third degree.

(1) A person is guilty of the crime of criminal mistreatment in the third degree if the person is the parent of a child, is a person entrusted with the physical custody of a child or other dependent person, is a person who has assumed the responsibility to provide to a dependent person the basic necessities of life, or is a person employed to provide to the child or dependent person the basic necessities of life, and either:

     (a) With criminal negligence, creates an imminent and substantial risk of substantial bodily harm to a child or dependent person by withholding any of the basic necessities of life; or

     (b) With criminal negligence, causes substantial bodily harm to a child or dependent person by withholding any of the basic necessities of life.

     (2) For purposes of this section, "a person who has assumed the responsibility to provide to a dependent person the basic necessities of life" means a person other than: (a) A government agency that regularly provides assistance or services to dependent persons, including but not limited to the department of social and health services; or (b) a good samaritan as defined in RCW 9A.42.010.

     (3) Criminal mistreatment in the third degree is a gross misdemeanor.

[2006 c 228 § 4; 2000 c 76 § 1.]