(1) A parent of a child, the person entrusted with the physical custody of a child or dependent person, a person who has assumed the responsibility to provide to a dependent person the basic necessities of life, or a person employed to provide to the child or dependent person the basic necessities of life is guilty of criminal mistreatment in the second degree if he or she with criminal negligence, as defined in RCW 9A.08.010, either (a) creates an imminent and substantial risk of death or great bodily harm by withholding any of the basic necessities of life, or (b) causes substantial bodily harm by withholding any of the basic necessities of life.

Attorney's Note

Under the Washington Code, punishments for crimes depend on the classification. In the case of this section:
ClassPrisonFine
class C felonyup to 5 yearsup to $10,000
For details, see Wash. Rev. Code § 9A.20.021

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Terms Used In Washington Code 9A.42.030

  • Basic necessities of life: means food, water, shelter, clothing, and medically necessary health care, including but not limited to health-related treatment or activities, hygiene, oxygen, and medication. See Washington Code 9A.42.010
  • Child: means a person under eighteen years of age. See Washington Code 9A.42.010
  • Dependent: A person dependent for support upon another.
  • Dependent person: means a person who, because of physical or mental disability, or because of extreme advanced age, is dependent upon another person to provide the basic necessities of life. See Washington Code 9A.42.010
  • Employed: means hired by a dependent person, another person acting on behalf of a dependent person, or by an organization or governmental entity, to provide to a dependent person any of the basic necessities of life. See Washington Code 9A.42.010
  • Great bodily harm: means bodily injury which creates a high probability of death, or which causes serious permanent disfigurement, or which causes a permanent or protracted loss or impairment of the function of any bodily part or organ. See Washington Code 9A.42.010
  • person: may be construed to include the United States, this state, or any state or territory, or any public or private corporation or limited liability company, as well as an individual. See Washington Code 1.16.080
  • Substantial bodily harm: means bodily injury which involves a temporary but substantial disfigurement, or which causes a temporary but substantial loss or impairment of the function of any bodily part or organ, or which causes a fracture of any bodily part;
Washington Code 9A.42.010
(2) Criminal mistreatment in the second degree is a class C felony.

NOTES:

FindingIntent2017 c 266: See note following RCW 9A.42.020.
Short titleFindingsConstructionConflict with federal requirementsPart headings and captions not law1997 c 392: See notes following RCW 74.39A.009.