Child abandonment occurs when a parent, guardian, or person in charge of a child either deserts a child without any
regard for the child’s physical health, safety or welfare and with the intention of wholly abandoning the child, or in some
instances, fails to provide necessary care for a child living under their roof.
While child abandonment typically involves physical abandonment - such as leaving a child at a stranger’s doorstep when
no one is home -- it may also include extreme cases of emotional abandonment -- such as when a "wor k-a-holic" parent
offers little or no physical contact or emotional support over long periods of time.
Unfor tunately, abandoned children (also called "foundlings") who do not get their needs met often grow up with low selfesteem,
emotional dependency, helplessness, and other issues.
A person charged with child abandonment may face felony or misdemeanor penalties and other consequences.