Code of Alabama
Ala. Code § 26-15-3 (2026)
Torture, Willful Abuse, Etc., of Child Under 18 Years of Age by Responsible Person.
✓ official Alabama Legislature (ALISON) text, current July 2026
A responsible person who shall torture, willfully abuse, willfully mistreat, cruelly beat, or otherwise willfully maltreat any child under the age of 18 years, on conviction, shall be guilty of a Class C felony.
(Acts 1977, No. 502, p. 658, §3; Act 2006-531, p. 1224, §1; Act 2023-466, §1.)
Notes of Decisions
Cited in 32
cases (3 in the last 5 years), 1980–2025 · leading case: Franklin v. State, 23 So. 3d 694 (Ala. Crim. App. 2008).
Franklin v. State, 23 So. 3d 694 (Ala. Crim. App. 2008). “Franklin first argues that her sentence is illegal because, she claims, she was charged with and convicted of "child abuse" as set forth in § 26-15-3, rather than "aggravated child abuse" as set forth in § 26-15-3.”
Kennedy v. State, 929 So. 2d 515 (Ala. Crim. App. 2005). “On June 3, 2004, the trial court sentenced Kennedy, as a habitual felony offender, [1] to 20 years in prison, but split the sentence and ordered Kennedy to serve 3 years in prison, to be followed by 5 years on supervised probation.”
Graham v. State, 210 So. 3d 1148 (Ala. Crim. App. 2016). “Jessica Porter Graham was convicted of child abuse, see § 26-15-3, Ala.Code 1975, and was sentenced to five years’ imprisonment.”
Pearson v. State, 601 So. 2d 1119 (Ala. Crim. App. 1992). “Feordis and Annette Pearson, husband and wife, were indicted for the felony of child abuse, a violation of Ala.Code 1975, § 26-15-3. After a jury trial, they were convicted of the misdemeanor offense of endangering the welfare of a child, a violation of Ala.”
Gobble v. State, 104 So. 3d 920 (Ala. Crim. App. 2010). “Code 1975, as follows: “(a) A responsible person, as defined in § 26-15-2, commits the crime of aggravated child abuse if he or she does any of the following: *975 “(1) He or she violates the provisions of § 26-15-3 by acts taking place on more than one occasion.”
T.L.S. v. Lauderdale Cnty. Dep't of Human Resources, 119 So. 3d 431 (Ala. Civ. App. 2013). “2 On June 24, 2010, the mother was convicted of violating § 26-15-3, Ala.Code 1975. 3 She received a 36-month prison sentence, which was suspended, and she was placed on probation.”
Kennedy v. State, 592 S.E.2d 830 (Ga. 2004). “[1] Compare OCGA § 19-7-5(b)(3)(A) (for mandatory reporting purposes, "child abuse" is nonaccidental "physical injury or death inflicted upon a child by a parent or caretaker"); Ala.Code § 26-15-3 (felony child abuse committed when certain persons "torture, willfully abuse,…”
Phelps v. State, 439 So. 2d 727 (Ala. Crim. App. 1983). “The statute under which she was prosecuted, § 26-15-3, Code of Alabama 1975, provides that "A responsible person, as defined in section 26-15-2, who shall torture, willfully abuse, cruelly beat or otherwise willfully maltreat any child under the age of 18 years shall, on…”
Woods v. State, 724 So. 2d 40 (Ala. Crim. App. 1998). “The appellant, Gregory Eugene Woods, was convicted of child abuse, a violation of § 26-15-3, Ala. Code 1975. He was sentenced to five years in the penitentiary and was also ordered to pay a $500 fine and a victim's compensation assessment of $100.”
Commonwealth v. Raposo, 595 N.E.2d 773 (Mass. 1992). “1983) (child abuse statute, Ala. Code § 26-15-3 , encompasses acts of omission as well as of commission); Cal.”
State v. DePiano, 926 P.2d 494 (Ariz. 1996). “See Ala. Code § 26-15-3 (1975); Idaho Code § 18-1501 (1) (1987); Ky.”
R.M. v. Elmore Cty. Dept. of Resources, 2091106 (ala.civ.app. 7-15-2011), 75 So. 3d 1195 (Ala. Civ. App. 2011). “], a child under the age of eighteen (18) years by hitting the said child on the buttocks and legs, hitting the child in the head, and failing to provide for the basic needs of the child, in violation of Section 26-15-3, Code of Alabama, 1975.” The mother was also indicted on…”
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