Battered Child Law and Legal Definition
A battered child is a child who is a victim of physical or sexual abuse. Such abuse may be from any adult with whom the child has contact. The abuser could be a parent, a relative, an older sibling, a babysitter, a caretaker, a family friend, a parent's romantic partner, or anyone else. Some children are abused by several people.
The abuse may be in the form of physical violence, sexual abuse, or verbal abuse. A battered child may experience multiple injuries of non-accidental nature. Non-accidental injuries are not injuries resulting from the everyday life and activities of a child but those often seen where children have been severely punished [Hall v. State, 15 Ark. App. 309, 313-314 (Ark. Ct. App. 1985)].
Battered children often experience battered child syndrome. Internal injuries, cuts, burns, bruises, and broken or fractured bones are all possible results of battered child syndrome.
Legal Definition list
Related Legal Terms
- Abused Child
- Adam Walsh Child Protection and Safety Act
- Administration for Children and Families
- Administration on Children, Youth, and Families
- Adopted Child
- Adoption Assistance and Child Welfare Act of 1980
- Adult Child With a Disability
- After-Born Child
- Aggravated Sexual Assault Against a Child
- Aid to Families With Dependent Children AFDC
