(a) (1) The parents or guardians of any minor in the custody of the state or the county, if they can reasonably be located, shall be notified within 24 hours by the public officer responsible for the well-being of that minor, of any serious injury or serious offense committed against the minor, upon reasonable substantiation that a serious injury or offense has occurred.

(2) This section shall not apply if the minor requests that his or her parents or guardians not be informed and the chief probation officer or the Director of the Youth Authority, as appropriate, determines it would be in the best interest of the minor not to inform the parents or guardians.

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(b) For purposes of this section, “serious offense” means any offense that is chargeable as a felony and that involves violence against another person. “Serious injury” means, for purposes of this section, any illness or injury that requires hospitalization, is potentially life threatening, or that potentially will permanently impair the use of a major body organ, appendage, or limb.

(Added by Stats. 1998, Ch. 496, Sec. 2. Effective January 1, 1999.)