Sec. 4.5. (a) There is a rebuttable presumption that a child is a child in need of services if the state establishes that the child lives in the same household as an adult who:

(1) committed an offense described in IC 31-34-1-2, IC 31-34-1-3, or IC 31-34-1-3.5 against a child and the offense resulted in a conviction or a judgment under IC 31-34-11-2;

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Terms Used In Indiana Code 31-34-12-4.5

  • Conviction: A judgement of guilt against a criminal defendant.
  • 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
  • Trial: A hearing that takes place when the defendant pleads "not guilty" and witnesses are required to come to court to give evidence.
(2) has been charged with an offense described in IC 31-34-1-2, IC 31-34-1-3, or IC 31-34-1-3.5 against a child and is awaiting trial; or

(3) was a perpetrator of a child fatality or near fatality as described by IC 31-33-18-1.5.

     (b) The following may not be used as grounds to rebut the presumption under subsection (a):

(1) The child who is the victim of the offense described in IC 31-34-1-2 or IC 31-34-1-3 is not genetically related to the adult who committed the act, but the child presumed to be the child in need of services under this section is genetically related to the adult who committed the act.

(2) The child who is the victim of the offense described in IC 31-34-1-2 or IC 31-34-1-3 differs in age from the child presumed to be the child in need of services under this section.

     (c) This section does not affect the ability to take a child into custody or emergency custody under IC 31-34-2 if the act of taking the child into custody or emergency custody is not based upon a presumption established under this section. However, if the presumption established under this section is the sole basis for taking a child into custody or emergency custody under IC 31-34-2, the court first must find cause to take the child into custody or emergency custody following a hearing in which the parent, guardian, or custodian of the child is accorded the rights described in IC 31-34-4-6(a)(2) through IC 31-34-4-6(a)(5).

As added by P.L.18-2004, SEC.2. Amended by P.L.16-2016, SEC.2; P.L.46-2016, SEC.13; P.L.71-2018, SEC.2; P.L.70-2024, SEC.3.

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