Section 270 Of Chapter 2. Abandonment And Neglect Of Children From California Penal Code >> Title 9. >> Part 1. >> Chapter 2.
270
. If a parent of a minor child willfully omits, without lawful
excuse, to furnish necessary clothing, food, shelter or medical
attendance, or other remedial care for his or her child, he or she is
guilty of a misdemeanor punishable by a fine not exceeding two
thousand dollars ($2,000), or by imprisonment in the county jail not
exceeding one year, or by both such fine and imprisonment. If a court
of competent jurisdiction has made a final adjudication in either a
civil or a criminal action that a person is the parent of a minor
child and the person has notice of such adjudication and he or she
then willfully omits, without lawful excuse, to furnish necessary
clothing, food, shelter, medical attendance or other remedial care
for his or her child, this conduct is punishable by imprisonment in
the county jail not exceeding one year or in a state prison for a
determinate term of one year and one day, or by a fine not exceeding
two thousand dollars ($2,000), or by both such fine and imprisonment.
This statute shall not be construed so as to relieve such parent
from the criminal liability defined herein for such omission merely
because the other parent of such child is legally entitled to the
custody of such child nor because the other parent of such child or
any other person or organization voluntarily or involuntarily
furnishes such necessary food, clothing, shelter or medical
attendance or other remedial care for such child or undertakes to do
so.
Proof of abandonment or desertion of a child by such parent, or
the omission by such parent to furnish necessary food, clothing,
shelter or medical attendance or other remedial care for his or her
child is prima facie evidence that such abandonment or desertion or
omission to furnish necessary food, clothing, shelter or medical
attendance or other remedial care is willful and without lawful
excuse.
The court, in determining the ability of the parent to support his
or her child, shall consider all income, including social insurance
benefits and gifts.
The provisions of this section are applicable whether the parents
of such child are or were ever married or divorced, and regardless of
any decree made in any divorce action relative to alimony or to the
support of the child. A child conceived but not yet born is to be
deemed an existing person insofar as this section is concerned.
The husband of a woman who bears a child as a result of artificial
insemination shall be considered the father of that child for the
purpose of this section, if he consented in writing to the artificial
insemination.
If a parent provides a minor with treatment by spiritual means
through prayer alone in accordance with the tenets and practices of a
recognized church or religious denomination, by a duly accredited
practitioner thereof, such treatment shall constitute "other remedial
care", as used in this section.