Child Abuse

Defined by the Colorado Revised Statutes, a person commits child abuse if such person causes an injury to a child’s life or health, or permits a child to be unreasonably placed in a situation that poses a threat of injury to the child’s life or health, or engages in a continued pattern of conduct that results in malnourishment, lack of proper medical care, cruel punishment, mistreatment, or an accumulation of injuries that ultimately results in the death of a child or serious bodily injury to a child.

Child abuse can be categorized in multiple ways, ranging from acts of neglect, to acts of physical, emotional and sexual abuse. Child abuse can also take the form of sex and labor trafficking. It is also an unfortunate reality that child abuse does occur in institutional settings such as foster homes, emergency care facilities, and youth correctional facilities.

Child abuse or neglect means:

  • Any case in which a child exhibits evidence of skin bruising, bleeding, malnutrition, failure to thrive, burns, fracture of any bone, subdural hematoma, soft tissue swelling, or death and either: Such condition or death is not justifiably explained; the history given concerning such condition is at variance with the degree or type of such condition or death; or the circumstances indicate that such condition may not be the product of an accidental occurrence.

 

  • Any case in which a child is subjected to unlawful sexual behavior.

 

  • Any case in which a child is a child in need of services because the child’s parents, legal guardian, or custodian fails to take the same actions to provide adequate food, clothing, shelter, medical care, or supervision that a prudent parent would take.
  • Any case in which a child is subjected to emotional abuse. As used in this subparagraph (IV), “emotional abuse” means an identifiable and substantial impairment of the child’s intellectual or psychological functioning or development or a substantial risk of impairment of the child’s intellectual or psychological functioning or development.

 

  • Any case in which a parent, guardian, or legal custodian has abandoned the child or has subjected him or her to mistreatment or abuse or a parent, guardian, or legal custodian has suffered or allowed another to mistreat or abuse the child without taking lawful means to stop such mistreatment or abuse and prevent it from recurring.

 

  • Any case in which a child lacks proper parental care through the actions or omissions of the parent, guardian, or legal custodian.

 

  • Any case in which a child’s environment is injurious to his or her welfare.

 

  • Any case in which, in the presence of a child, or on the premises where a child is found, or where a child resides, a controlled substance is manufactured or attempted to be manufactured.

 

  • Any case in which a child is born affected by alcohol or substance exposure, except when taken as prescribed or recommended and monitored by a licensed health care provider, and the newborn child’s health or welfare is threatened by substance use.

 

  • Any case in which a child is subjected to human trafficking of a minor for involuntary servitude, or sexual servitude.

In Colorado, if you suspect an incident, the best thing you can do is to report it. You may contact the Park County Sheriff’s Office for law enforcement & victim advocate response or dial 1-844-CO4KIDS. 

CO4Kids is a hotline program operated by the Colorado Department of Human Services. Caseworkers will review the claim and if necessary, reach out to the family to offer support with the goal of strengthening families. For more information on CO4Kids, please visit Home - CO4Kids on their website.