(a) Offense defined.--A person is guilty of a misdemeanor of the first degree if he or she endeavors privately, either alone or by the procurement of others, to conceal the death of his or her child, so that it may not come to light, whether it was born dead or alive or whether it was murdered or not.
(b) Procedure.--If the same indictment or information charges any person with the murder of his or her child, as well as with the offense of the concealment of the death, the jury may acquit or convict him or her of both offenses, or find him or her guilty of one and acquit him or her of the other.
(Oct. 4, 1978, P.L.909, No.173, eff. 60 days; Mar. 31, 1995, 1st Sp.Sess., P.L.985, No.10, eff. 60 days)
1995 Amendment. Section 18 of Act 10, 1st Sp.Sess., provided that the amendment of section 4303 shall apply to offenses committed on or after the effective date of Act 10.
Cross References. Section 4303 is referred to in section 2106 of Title 20 (Decedents, Estates and Fiduciaries); sections 5329, 6344 of Title 23 (Domestic Relations); section 1515 of Title 42 (Judiciary and Judicial Procedure).
Structure Pennsylvania Consolidated & Unconsolidated Statutes