Oklahoma § 21-853 Desertion of wife or child under 15 a felony.

Oklahoma Statutes

§ 21-853 — Desertion of wife or child under 15 a felony.

Oklahoma·Title 21 Crimes And Punishments

Every person who shall without good cause abandon his wife in destitute or necessitous circumstances and neglect and refuse to maintain or provide for her, or who shall abandon his or her minor child or children under the age of fifteen (15) years and willfully neglect or refuse to maintain or provide for such child or children, shall be deemed guilty of a Class B4 felony offense and, upon conviction thereof, shall be punished by imprisonment in the State Penitentiary for any period of time not less than one (1) year or more than ten (10) years.

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Every person who shall without good cause abandon his wife in destitute or necessitous circumstances and neglect and refuse to maintain or provide for her, or who shall abandon his or her minor child or children under the age of fifteen (15) years and willfully neglect or refuse to maintain or provide for such child or children, shall be deemed guilty of a Class B4 felony offense and, upon conviction thereof, shall be punished by imprisonment in the State Penitentiary for any period of time not less than one (1) year or more than ten (10) years.

Oklahoma § 21-853 (Desertion of wife or child under 15 a felony.) — published by Counsel Stack Legal Research, free access to 12M+ legal documents.

Legislative History

Added by Laws 1915, c. 149, § 1. Amended by Laws 1923, c. 78, p. 144, § 2, emerg. eff. March 28, 1923; Laws 1997, c. 133, § 253, eff. July 1, 1999; Laws 1999, 1st Ex.Sess., c. 5, § 157, eff. July 1, 1999; Laws 2025, c. 486, § 105, eff. Jan. 1, 2026. NOTE: Laws 1998, 1st Ex.Sess., c. 2, § 23 amended the effective date of Laws 1997, c. 133, § 253 from July 1, 1998, to July 1, 1999.