Nevada Woman Convicted of Starving an Infant to Death
Earlier this month a woman from Elko was found guilty of violating Nevada child abuse law stemming from the 2005 death of her seven-month old daughter by starvation. She was originally convicted in 2006 but was granted a new trial. The next two trials ended in hung juries.
Nevada child abuse law makes it a crime to abuse, neglect or endanger a child. It is permissible to use reasonable corporeal punishment, but nothing excessive. Emotional abuse, such as brainwashing a child or not allowing them to go to school, is considered child abuse as well.
Common defenses to child abuse charges are accident, self-defense and lack of intent to harm. Penalties for violating Nevada child abuse law depend on whether the abuse was willful, whether substantial harm occurred, whether the harm was sexual, the child's age, and whether the accused is a repeat-offender. Charges can range from Category A felonies with a possible life sentence to gross misdemeanors with possibly no jail time at all.
For more on this story, go to: http://www.lvrj.com/news/elko-woman-found-guilty-in-starvation-death-of-infant-104231864.html
