Sec. 2. (a) A child is a child in need of services if before the child becomes eighteen (18) years of age:

(1) the child’s physical or mental health is seriously endangered due to injury by the act or omission of the child’s parent, guardian, or custodian; and

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Terms Used In Indiana Code 31-34-1-2

  • Conviction: A judgement of guilt against a criminal defendant.
  • Evidence: Information presented in testimony or in documents that is used to persuade the fact finder (judge or jury) to decide the case for one side or the other.
  • 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.
  • Judgment: means all final orders, decrees, and determinations in an action and all orders upon which executions may issue. See Indiana Code 1-1-4-5
  • Property: includes personal and real property. See Indiana Code 1-1-4-5
  • Trial: A hearing that takes place when the defendant pleads "not guilty" and witnesses are required to come to court to give evidence.
(2) the child needs care, treatment, or rehabilitation that:

(A) the child is not receiving; and

(B) is unlikely to be provided or accepted without the coercive intervention of the court.

     (b) A child is a child in need of services if, before the child becomes eighteen (18) years of age:

(1) the child is a victim of:

(A) an offense under IC 35-42-1-2.5;

(B) an offense under IC 35-42-2-1;

(C) an offense under IC 35-42-2-1.3;

(D) an offense under IC 35-42-2-1.5;

(E) an offense under IC 35-42-2-9;

(F) an offense under IC 35-42-2-10; or

(G) an offense under IC 35-46-1-4;

(2) the offense described in subdivision (1) was committed by the parent, guardian, or custodian of the child; and

(3) the child needs care, treatment, or rehabilitation that:

(A) the child is not receiving; and

(B) is unlikely to be provided or accepted without the coercive intervention of the court.

     (c) A child is a child in need of services if, before the child becomes eighteen (18) years of age, the child:

(1) lives in the same household as an adult who:

(A) committed:

(i) an offense described in subsection (b)(1); or

(ii) an offense under IC 35-42-1-1, IC 35-42-1-2, IC 35-42-1-3, IC 35-42-1-4, or IC 35-42-1-5;

against another child who lives in the household and the offense resulted in a conviction or a judgment under IC 31-34-11-2; or

(B) has been charged with committing an offense described in clause (A) against another child who lives in the household and is awaiting trial; and

(2) needs care, treatment, or rehabilitation that:

(A) the child is not receiving; and

(B) is unlikely to be provided or accepted without the coercive intervention of the court.

     (d) Evidence that the illegal manufacture of a drug or controlled substance is occurring on property where a child resides creates a rebuttable presumption that the child’s physical or mental health is seriously endangered.

[Pre-1997 Recodification Citation: 31-6-4-3(a) part.]

As added by P.L.1-1997, SEC.17. Amended by P.L.17-2001, SEC.8; P.L.2-2005, SEC.77; P.L.71-2018, SEC.1; P.L.142-2020, SEC.40; P.L.51-2021, SEC.3; P.L.172-2022, SEC.7.