A person is guilty of abandonment of a child when, being a parent, guardian or other person legally charged with the care or custody of a child, the person deserts the child in any place intending permanently to abandon the child.

Attorney's Note

Under the Delaware Code, punishments for crimes depend on the classification. In the case of this section:
ClassPrisonFine
Class E felonyup to 5 years
Class F felonyup to 3 years
For details, see Del. Code Ann.tit. 11, § 4205

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Terms Used In Delaware Code Title 11 Sec. 1101

  • Child: shall mean any individual less than 18 years of age. See Delaware Code Title 11 Sec. 1100
  • Guardian: A person legally empowered and charged with the duty of taking care of and managing the property of another person who because of age, intellect, or health, is incapable of managing his (her) own affairs.

Abandonment of a child is a class E felony unless the child is 14 years of age or older. Abandonment of a child 14 years of age or older is a class F felony.

11 Del. C. 1953, § ?1101; 58 Del. Laws, c. 497, § ?1; 67 Del. Laws, c. 130, § ?8; 70 Del. Laws, c. 186, § ?1; 77 Del. Laws, c. 33, § ?1;