How can I help my daughters friend from home abuse?

Full question:

My daughter befriended a girl in her class. They are both 12. When the friend comes over she tries so hard to please, she asks if she can mop my floors. I took this as a pleasant change from most girls her age. However I now know the mother and this child has attempted suicide and has been hospitalized. She is now on Prozac and sleeping pills. The mother put her daughter on the pills because she didn't want to take them. I have to say she is a sweet normal little girl, except for her mother. She is VERY controlling. She has locked the child out of her house at night to teach her a lesson. The mother has come to my house and tried to scream at me for giving the child a ride home from school because she decided the child would be grounded. Is it legal to lock a 12 year old out of the house? I'm afraid the child will attempt suicide again and she has come to my house to talk to my daughter when she felt she couldn't take her mother any more. Should I contact the social worker? Is that the prudent thing to do or is their some other way to help this child?

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

Answer:

The following is a FL statute:

827.03 Abuse, aggravated abuse, and neglect of a child; penalties.--

(1) "Child abuse" means:

 

 

(a) Intentional infliction of physical or mental injury upon a child;

 

 

(b) An intentional act that could reasonably be expected to result in physical or mental injury to a child; or

 

 

(c) Active encouragement of any person to commit an act that results or could reasonably be expected to result in physical or mental injury to a child.

 

 

A person who knowingly or willfully abuses a child without causing great bodily harm, permanent disability, or permanent disfigurement to the child commits a felony of the third degree, punishable as provided in s. 775.082, s. 775.083, or s. 775.084.

(2) "Aggravated child abuse" occurs when a person:

 

 

(a) Commits aggravated battery on a child;

 

 

(b) Willfully tortures, maliciously punishes, or willfully and unlawfully cages a child; or

 

 

(c) Knowingly or willfully abuses a child and in so doing causes great bodily harm, permanent disability, or permanent disfigurement to the child.

 

 

A person who commits aggravated child abuse commits a felony of the first degree, punishable as provided in s. 775.082, s. 775.083, or s. 775.084.

(3)(a) "Neglect of a child" means:

 

 

1. A caregiver's failure or omission to provide a child with the care, supervision, and services necessary to maintain the child's physical and mental health, including, but not limited to, food, nutrition, clothing, shelter, supervision, medicine, and medical services that a prudent person would consider essential for the well-being of the child; or

2. A caregiver's failure to make a reasonable effort to protect a child from abuse, neglect, or exploitation by another person.

Neglect of a child may be based on repeated conduct or on a single incident or omission that results in, or could reasonably be expected to result in, serious physical or mental injury, or a substantial risk of death, to a child.

(b) A person who willfully or by culpable negligence neglects a child and in so doing causes great bodily harm, permanent disability, or permanent disfigurement to the child commits a felony of the second degree, punishable as provided in s. 775.082, s. 775.083, or s. 775.084.

 

 

(c) A person who willfully or by culpable negligence neglects a child without causing great bodily harm, permanent disability, or permanent disfigurement to the child commits a felony of the third degree, punishable as provided in s. 775.082, s. 775.083, or s. 775.084.

 

 

(4) For purposes of this section, "maliciously" means wrongfully, intentionally, and without legal justification or excuse. Maliciousness may be established by circumstances from which one could conclude that a reasonable parent would not have engaged in the damaging acts toward the child for any valid reason and that the primary purpose of the acts was to cause the victim unjustifiable pain or injury.

 

 

Please see the information at the following links:

http://privateschool.about.com/cs/students/a/teensuicide.htm

http://members.tripod.com/kittn/