21-5602. Abuse of a child. (a) Abuse of a child is committing any of the following acts against a child under 18 years of age:

(1) (A) Knowingly torturing, cruelly beating, cruelly striking or cruelly kicking;

(B) knowingly inflicting cruel and inhuman corporal punishment; or

(C) knowingly using cruel and inhuman physical restraint, including caging or confining the child in a space not designated for human habitation or binding the child in a way that is not medically necessary;

(2) recklessly causing great bodily harm, abusive head trauma, permanent disability or disfigurement; or

(3) (A) knowingly causing great bodily harm, abusive head trauma, permanent disability or disfigurement;

(B) knowingly inflicting cruel and inhuman corporal punishment with a deadly weapon; or

(C) knowingly impeding the normal breathing or circulation of the blood by applying pressure on the throat, neck or chest of the child or by blocking the nose or mouth of the child in a manner whereby death or great bodily harm could be inflicted.

(b) Abuse of a child as defined in:

(1) Subsection (a)(1) is a:

(A) Severity level 5, person felony if the child is at least six years of age but less than 18 years of age; and

(B) severity level 3, person felony if the child is under six years of age;

(2) subsection (a)(2) is a severity level 4, person felony; and

(3) subsection (a)(3) is a severity level 3, person felony.

History: L. 2010, ch. 136, § 79; L. 2011, ch. 30, § 285; L. 2019, ch. 59, § 6; L. 2022, ch. 76, § 2; July 1.