§ 11-9-5.4. Child endangerment.
(a) When used in this section, the following words and phrases are construed as follows:
(1) “Child” means any person under eighteen (18) years of age.
(2) “Serious bodily injury” shall have the same definition as contained in § 11-5-2(c).
(3) “Sexual abuse” means any sexual contact or penetration prohibited by chapter 37 of this title.
(b) A person is guilty of endangering the welfare of a child when being a parent, guardian, or any other person who has custody or control of a child, the person:
(1) Wantonly or recklessly engages in conduct that creates a substantial risk of serious bodily injury to the child or sexual abuse of the child; or
(2) Wantonly or recklessly fails to take reasonable steps to alleviate such risk to the child where there is a duty to act.
(c) For purposes of this section, such wanton and reckless behavior occurs when a person is aware of and consciously disregards a substantial and unjustifiable risk that their acts, or omissions where there is a duty to act, would result in a substantial risk of serious bodily injury to the child or sexual abuse of the child for whom they have custody or control. The risk must be of such nature and degree that disregard of the risk constitutes a gross deviation from the standard of conduct that a reasonable person would observe in the situation.
(d) Any person who shall violate this section shall be guilty of a felony, and for the first offense, be imprisoned up to three (3) years or be fined not exceeding one thousand dollars ($1,000), or both.
(e) Any person who has been previously convicted of child endangerment under this section and thereafter commits child endangerment shall be imprisoned up to ten (10) years or be fined not exceeding five thousand dollars ($5,000), or both.
History of Section.P.L. 2022, ch. 161, § 1, effective June 27, 2022; P.L. 2022, ch. 162, § 1, effective June 27, 2022.
Structure Rhode Island General Laws
Section 11-9-1. - Exploitation for commercial or immoral purposes.
Section 11-9-1.1. - Child nudity prohibited in publications.
Section 11-9-1.2. - Rebuttable presumption of minority upon testimony of physician.
Section 11-9-1.3. - Child pornography prohibited.
Section 11-9-1.5. - Electronically disseminating indecent material to minors prohibited.
Section 11-9-1.6. - Child erotica prohibited.
Section 11-9-2. - Employment of children for unlawful purposes.
Section 11-9-3. - Seizure and custody of exploited child — Proceedings as against neglected child.
Section 11-9-4. - Contributing to delinquency.
Section 11-9-5. - Cruelty to or neglect of child.
Section 11-9-5.1. - Investigation upon report of cruelty or neglect.
Section 11-9-5.2. - Immunity from liability.
Section 11-9-5.3. - Child abuse — Brendan’s Law.
Section 11-9-5.4. - Child endangerment.
Section 11-9-6. - Proceedings against parents of delinquent children unaffected.
Section 11-9-7. - Children’s Friend and Service excused from costs.
Section 11-9-8. - Appropriations for prevention of cruelty to children.
Section 11-9-9. - Powers of family court.
Section 11-9-10. - Abandonment of refrigerator in place accessible to children.
Section 11-9-11. - Designation of curfew streets.
Section 11-9-12. - Penalty for loitering on curfew street.
Section 11-9-13.1. - Cigarette and tobacco vending machines.
Section 11-9-13.2. - Short title.
Section 11-9-13.3. - Legislative intent — Purpose.
Section 11-9-13.4. - Definitions.
Section 11-9-13.5. - Responsibility for tobacco or health issues.
Section 11-9-13.7. - Signs concerning sales to individuals under age twenty-one (21).
Section 11-9-13.8. - Prohibitions applicable to license holders and their employees and agents.
Section 11-9-13.8.1. - Signs concerning the health effects of tobacco.
Section 11-9-13.9. - Multiple citations prohibited.
Section 11-9-13.12. - Enforcement and penalties — Citation for violation.
Section 11-9-13.13. - Nature and size of penalties.
Section 11-9-13.14. - Notification to the Department of Taxation of fines imposed.
Section 11-9-13.15. - Penalty for operating without a dealer license.
Section 11-9-13.16. - Rules and regulations.
Section 11-9-13.17. - Fines collected.
Section 11-9-13.18. - Prohibition on the sale or distribution of certain excise tax stamps.
Section 11-9-13.19. - Severability.
Section 11-9-13.20. - Packaging of electronic nicotine-delivery system liquid.
Section 11-9-14. - [Repealed.]
Section 11-9-14.1. - Compliance with federal statutes and regulations.
Section 11-9-15. - Tattooing of minors.
Section 11-9-16. - Plastic bags — Labeling.
Section 11-9-17. - Sterilization.
Section 11-9-18. - Care of babies born alive during attempted abortions.
Section 11-9-19. - Sale of spray paint to minors.
Section 11-9-19.1. - Possession of spray paint by a minor.
Section 11-9-20. - Sale of matches.
Section 11-9-21. - Prohibition of sale of certain dietary supplements to minors.