Los Angeles Child Abuse Defense Attorneys
Child Abuse & Neglect Defense Lawyers in Los Angeles, California
An accusation of child abuse is very serious. If the case goes to trial, particularly in the case of a child sexual abuse accusation, the jury will often favor the child – no matter what. This can mean many years in state prison, as well as registration as a child sex offender for life.
If you have been accused of child abuse, whether it was physical, sexual or emotional, you will need a skilled Los Angeles criminal defense lawyer on your side who can and will fight aggressively to defend your rights and protect you from an unjust conviction.
Los Angeles Child Abuse Defense Attorney
Okabe & Haushalter is a criminal defense law firm serving clients charged with domestic violence, spousal abuse and child abuse throughout Los Angeles, California, including the cities of: Torrance, Long Beach, Santa Monica, Manhattan Beach, Lomita, Hermosa Beach, Palos Verdes, Redondo Beach and El Segundo.
A Los Angeles child abuse defense attorney at our firm can offer you a free consultation regarding your charges, to see what we may be able to do to help you. In these situations, we believe it is extremely important to act quickly in order to prevent an accusation from being blown out of proportion – as the media and community may become involved and a person’s reputation may be ruined forever even due to a false accusation of child abuse. When an attorney from our firm becomes involved in a new case, we always take care to be discreet and do whatever we can to have the charges dropped before the case goes to court.
Child Abuse Charges & Penalties in Los Angeles
Child abuse occurs when an individual (it may be a parent, sibling, teacher, counselor, coach or any other individual who deals with children) causes harm to a child in some way. This includes physical abuse, sexual abuse, emotional abuse and also neglect. Domestic violence against a child is also a form of child abuse, when the child is related to you, you are the child’s guardian, or you live with the child.
The penalties for a child abuse conviction in Los Angeles, California, include the following:
- Neglect: fine of up to $2000 and/or up to 1 year in county jail.
- Child Abuse: fine of up to $6000 and/or a state prison sentence of up to 6 years.
- Child Molestation: 3 to 8 years in state prison, per act of molestation.
- Continual Child Sexual Abuse (3 or more acts): 6 to 16 years in state prison.
Contact a Los Angeles child abuse defense lawyer at Okabe & Haushalter to see how we can protect your rights even in the face of a child abuse accusation.