Is showering with a father child abuse if there are prior allegations?

Full question:

If a 2 or 3 year old little girl is made to take showers with her father, is that child abuse? If later, it is discovered that an older sister was molested and raped by the father, but this child has no memories yet, would there be any grounds for abuse in the younger sister's case? Can the mother of the girls be charged for setting the girls up to be abused? What if she had any knowledge of what could happen before setting them up?

• Category: Child Abuse
• Date: 04/07/2025
• State: Florida

Answer:

In Florida, child abuse is defined as:

• Intentionally causing physical or mental injury to a child;
• Engaging in acts that could reasonably be expected to result in injury; or
• Encouraging others to commit acts that lead to injury.

Child abuse without causing severe harm is a third-degree felony (Fla. Stat. § 827.03).

Aggravated child abuse includes actions like aggravated battery on a child or causing great bodily harm, which is a first-degree felony.

Neglect of a child occurs when a caregiver fails to provide necessary care or protect a child from abuse, potentially resulting in serious injury or risk of death. This can also be charged as a felony depending on the circumstances (Fla. Stat. § 827.03).

In the case of the younger sister, if there is evidence of prior abuse against the older sister, it could indicate a risk of harm to the younger sister, even if she has no memories of any incidents. The mother could potentially be charged with neglect if she knowingly placed her children in a harmful situation.