Colorado Code
Part 4 - Wrongs to Children
§ 18-6-401. Child Abuse - Definition

(I) When a person acts knowingly or recklessly and the child abuse results in death to the child, it is a class 2 felony except as provided in paragraph (c) of this subsection (7).
(II) When a person acts with criminal negligence and the child abuse results in death to the child, it is a class 3 felony.
(III) When a person acts knowingly or recklessly and the child abuse results in serious bodily injury to the child, it is a class 3 felony.


(II) [ Editor's note: This version of subsection (7)(b)(II) is effective March 1, 2022. ] An act of child abuse when a person acts with criminal negligence is a class 2 misdemeanor; except that, if it is committed under the circumstances described in subsection (7)(e) of this section, then it is a class 5 felony.










(7.3) Felony child abuse is an extraordinary risk crime that is subject to the modified presumptive sentencing range specified in section 18-1.3-401 (10). Misdemeanor child abuse is an extraordinary risk crime that is subject to the modified sentencing range specified in section 18-1.3-501 (3).
(7.5) If a defendant is convicted of the class 2 or class 3 felony of child abuse under subparagraph (I) or (III) of paragraph (a) of subsection (7) of this section, the court shall sentence the defendant in accordance with section 18-1.3-401 (8)(d).







Source: L. 71: R&RE, p. 448, § 1. C.R.S. 1963: § 40-6-401. L. 73: p. 538, § 4. L. 75: (7) amended and (8) added, p. 620, § 15, effective July 21. L. 79: (7) amended, p. 729, § 8, effective July 1. L. 80: (1) and (7) R&RE and (8) amended, pp. 544, 545, §§ 1, 2, effective May 6. L. 85: (1), (4), and (5) amended, (7) R&RE, and (7.5) added, pp. 672, 673, §§ 1, 2, effective June 7. L. 87: (6) amended, p. 817, § 21, effective October 1. L. 89: (6) R&RE, p. 924, § 2, effective June 7. L. 90: (8) repealed, p. 1037, § 6, effective April 3. L. 91: (1) amended, p. 422, § 1, effective May 24. L. 95: (7)(a)(I) amended and (7)(c) added, p. 1222, § 4, effective July 1. L. 99: (1) amended, p. 803, § 2, effective May 24. L. 2000: (9) added, p. 2004, § 1, effective June 3. L. 2001: (6) repealed, p. 334, § 1, effective July 1. L. 2002: (7.5) amended, p. 1515, § 198, effective October 1. L. 2003: (1)(c) and (7)(d) added, p. 2383, §§ 1, 2, effective July 1. L. 2004: (7.3) added, p. 636, § 9, effective August 4. L. 2006: (1)(c) amended, p. 1705, § 4, effective July 1; (7)(a)(V), (7)(a)(VI), (7)(b)(I), and (7)(b)(II) amended and (7)(e) added, p. 2047, § 1, effective July 1. L. 2009: (7)(a)(V), (7)(a)(VI), (7)(b), and (7)(e) amended, (HB 09-1163), ch. 343, p. 1797, § 2, effective July 1. L. 2011: (1)(b)(IV) amended, (HB 11-1303), ch. 264, p. 1157, § 33, effective August 10. L. 2014: (9) amended, (HB 14-1214), ch. 336, p. 1499, § 10, effective August 6. L. 2018: (9) amended, (SB 18-050), ch. 20, p. 269, § 1, effective March 7. L. 2019: (1)(b)(III) amended, (HB 19-1172), ch. 136, p. 1676, § 96, effective October 1. L. 2021: (7)(b)(II) amended, (SB 21-271), ch. 462, p. 3192, § 260, effective March 1, 2022.
Editor's note: Section 803(2) of chapter 462 (SB 21-271), Session Laws of Colorado 2021, provides that the act changing this section applies to offenses committed on or after March 1, 2022.
Cross references: (1) For the "Child Protection Act of 1987", see part 3 of article 3 of title 19.
(2) For the statutory privilege between patient and physician and between husband and wife, see § 13-90-107.
(3) For the legislative declaration contained in the 2002 act amending subsection (7.5), see section 1 of chapter 318, Session Laws of Colorado 2002. For the legislative declaration contained in the 2006 act amending subsection (1)(c), see section 1 of chapter 341, Session Laws of Colorado 2006.

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