Section 22-1101 - Definition and penalty(a) A person commits the crime of cruelty to children in the first degree if that person intentionally, knowingly, or recklessly tortures, beats, or otherwise willfully maltreats a child under 18 years of age or engages in conduct which creates a grave risk of bodily injury to a child, and thereby causes bodily injury.(b) A person commits the crime of cruelty to children in the second degree if that person intentionally, knowingly, or recklessly: (1) Maltreats a child or engages in conduct which causes a grave risk of bodily injury to a child; or(2) Exposes a child, or aids and abets in exposing a child in any highway, street, field house, outhouse or other place, with intent to abandon the child.(c)(1) Any person convicted of cruelty to children in the first degree shall be fined not more than $10,000 or be imprisoned not more than 15 years, or both.(2) Any person convicted of cruelty to children in the second degree shall be fined not more than the amount set forth in § 22-3571.01 or be imprisoned not more than 10 years, or both. Feb. 13, 1885, 23 Stat. 303, ch. 58, § 3; Mar. 3, 1901, 31 Stat. 1322, ch. 854, § 814; May 21, 1994, D.C. Law 10-119, § 7, 41 DCR 1639; Aug. 20, 1994, D.C. Law 10-151, § 201, 41 DCR 2608; June 11, 2013, D.C. Law 19-317, § 211, 60 DCR 2064.Applicability of D.C. Law 19-317: Section 401 of D.C. Law 19-317 provided that the act shall apply only to offenses committed on or after June 11, 2013.
Corroboration of child witness testimony, necessity, see § 23-114. .