District of Columbia § 22-1101 Definition and penalty.

District of Columbia Statutes

§ 22-1101 — Definition and penalty.

District of Columbia § 22-1101

Title 22Criminal Offenses and Penalties.

Ch. 11Cruelty to Children.

This text of District of Columbia § 22-1101 (Definition and penalty.) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering District of Columbia primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook

D.C. Code § 22-1101 (2026).

Text

(a)A person commits the crime of cruelty to children in the first degree if that person intentionally, knowingly, or recklessly tortures, beats, or otherwise willfully maltreats a child under 18 years of age or engages in conduct which creates a grave risk of bodily injury to a child, and thereby causes bodily injury.

(b)A person commits the crime of cruelty to children in the second degree if that person intentionally, knowingly, or recklessly:

(1)Maltreats a child or engages in conduct which causes a grave risk of bodily injury to a child; or

(2)Exposes a child, or aids and abets in exposing a child in any highway, street, field house, outhouse or other place, with intent to abandon the child.

(1)Any person convicted of cruelty to children in the first degree shall be fine

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(a) A person commits the crime of cruelty to children in the first degree if that person intentionally, knowingly, or recklessly tortures, beats, or otherwise willfully maltreats a child under 18 years of age or engages in conduct which creates a grave risk of bodily injury to a child, and thereby causes bodily injury.

(b) A person commits the crime of cruelty to children in the second degree if that person intentionally, knowingly, or recklessly:

(1) Maltreats a child or engages in conduct which causes a grave risk of bodily injury to a child; or

(2) Exposes a child, or aids and abets in exposing a child in any highway, street, field house, outhouse or other place, with intent to abandon the child.

(1) Any person convicted of cruelty to children in the first degree shall be fined not more than $10,000 or be imprisoned not more than 15 years, or both.

(2) Any person convicted of cruelty to children in the second degree shall be fined not more than the amount set forth in § 22-3571.01 or be imprisoned not more than 10 years, or both.

Legislative History

Feb. 13, 1885, 23 Stat. 303, ch. 58, § 3; Mar. 3, 1901, 31 Stat. 1322, ch. 854, § 814; May 21, 1994, D.C. Law 10-119, § 7, 41 DCR 1639; Aug. 20, 1994, D.C. Law 10-151, § 201, 41 DCR 2608; June 11, 2013, D.C. Law 19-317, § 211, 60 DCR 2064