§ 4958. Intimidation, retaliation or obstruction in child abuse cases.
(a) Intimidation.--A person commits an offense if:
(1) The person has knowledge or intends that the person's conduct under paragraph (2)
will obstruct, impede, impair, prevent or interfere with the making of a child abuse
report or the conducting of an investigation into suspected child abuse under 23 Pa.C.S.
Ch. 63 (relating to child protective services) or prosecuting a child abuse case.
(2) The person intimidates or attempts to intimidate any reporter, victim or witness to
engage in any of the following actions:
(i) Refrain from making a report of suspected child abuse or not cause a report of suspected
child abuse to be made.
(ii) Refrain from providing or withholding information, documentation, testimony or evidence
to any person regarding a child abuse investigation or proceeding.
(iii) Give false or misleading information, documentation, testimony or evidence to any
person regarding a child abuse investigation or proceeding.
(iv) Elude, evade or ignore any request or legal process summoning the reporter, victim
or witness to appear to testify or supply evidence regarding a child abuse investigation
or proceeding.
(v) Fail to appear at or participate in a child abuse proceeding or meeting involving
a child abuse investigation to which the reporter, victim or witness has been legally
summoned.
(b) Retaliation.--A person commits an offense if the person harms another person by any unlawful act
or engages in a course of conduct or repeatedly commits acts which threaten another
person in retaliation for anything that the other person has lawfully done in the
capacity of a reporter, witness or victim of child abuse.
(b.1) Obstruction.--In addition to any other penalty provided by law, a person commits an offense if,
with intent to prevent a public servant from investigating or prosecuting a report
of child abuse under 23 Pa.C.S. Ch. 63, the person by any scheme or device or in any
other manner obstructs, interferes with, impairs, impedes or perverts the investigation
or prosecution of child abuse.
(c) Grading.--
(1) An offense under this section is a felony of the second degree if:
(i) The actor employs force, violence or deception or threatens to employ force, violence
or deception upon the reporter, witness or victim or, with reckless intent or knowledge,
upon any other person.
(ii) The actor offers pecuniary or other benefit to the reporter, witness or victim.
(iii) The actor's conduct is in furtherance of a conspiracy to intimidate or retaliate against
the reporter, witness or victim.
(iv) The actor accepts, agrees or solicits another person to accept any pecuniary benefit
to intimidate or retaliate against the reporter, witness or victim.
(v) The actor has suffered a prior conviction for a violation of this section or has been
convicted under a Federal statute or statute of any other state of an act which would
be a violation of this section if committed in this Commonwealth.
(2) An offense not otherwise addressed in paragraph (1) is a misdemeanor of the second
degree.
(d) Definitions.--The following words and phrases when used in this section shall have the meanings
given to them in this subsection unless the context clearly indicates otherwise:
"Child abuse." As defined in 23 Pa.C.S. § 6303(b.1) (relating to definitions).
"Mandated reporter." As defined in 23 Pa.C.S. § 6303(a).
"Public servant." As defined in section 4501 (relating to definitions).
"Reporter." A person, including a mandated reporter, having reasonable cause to suspect that a
child under 18 years of age is a victim of child abuse.
(Dec. 18, 2013, P.L.1198, No.118, eff. Jan. 1, 2014)
2013 Amendment. Act 118 added section 4958.
Cross References. Section 4958 is referred to in sections 6311, 6335 of Title 23 (Domestic Relations);
section 2303 of Title 44 (Law and Justice).
Notes of Decisions
Cited in
10
cases (
4 in the last 5 years), 2016–2026 · leading case:
Commonwealth v. Veon, 150 A.3d 435 (Pa. 2016).
Commonwealth v. Veon, 150 A.3d 435 (Pa. 2016).
“§§ 3304 (grading criminal mischief by monetary damage thresholds), 3307 (same, institutional vandalism), 3309 (same, agricultural vandalism); see also 18 Pa.C.S. §§ 4958 (criminalizing an offer of "pecuniary or other benefit” to prevent the reporting of child abuse), 5108(a) ("A…”
Com. v. Brill, J., No. 785 MDA 2022 (Pa. Super. Ct. May 31, 2023).
· cites it 5× “§ 4952(a)(1), (2), (3), (4); compare 18 Pa.C.S. § 4958(a) (defendant must intend to obstruct, impair, or interfere “with the making of a child abuse report or the conducting of an investigation into suspected child abuse under 23 Pa.”
Com. v. Snyder, E., No. 1205 MDA 2018 (Pa. Super. Ct. Apr. 16, 2019).
· cites it 3× “…§901 §§A / 18 Pa.C.S. §3125 §§A8 (F2); Count 4: Intimidation, Retaliation, or Obstruction in Child Abuse Cases, 18 Pa.C.S. §4958 §§A1 (F2); Count 5: Corruption of Minors, 18 Pa.C.S. §6301 §§A1 ii (F3); Count 6: Endangering the Welfare of Children, 18 Pa.C.S. §4304 §§A1…”
Com. v. Willis, C., No. 1169 MDA 2021 (Pa. Super. Ct. July 6, 2022).
· cites it 2× “1 18 Pa.C.S. §§ 4958(b.1), 5105(a)(5), and 4906(b)(1), respectively.”
Com. v. Salazar, F., No. 1745 MDA 2016 (Pa. Super. Ct. Mar. 27, 2018).
“the knowledge that his conduct will obstruct, impede, impair, prevent or interfere with the administration of criminal justice, he intimidates or attempts to intimidate any witness or victim to: ____________________________________________ 6 Appellant does not challenge the…”
Com. v. Randolph-Ali, S., No. 183 MDA 2018 (Pa. Super. Ct. Oct. 9, 2018).
“63, the person by any scheme or device or in any other manner obstructs, interferes with, impairs, impedes or perverts the investigation or prosecution of child abuse.”
Com. v. Patrick, J., III, No. 1631 MDA 2017 (Pa. Super. Ct. Feb. 13, 2019).
“Because intimidation in a child abuse case is an equivalent offense to intimidation under Section 4952, see 18 Pa.C.S. § 4958(a), it qualifies as a crime of violence under the Wiretap Act and Victim was justified in recording the conversation with Mary Ayres on March 20, 2016.”
Com. v. Bledsoe, J., No. 1552 EDA 2019 (Pa. Super. Ct. July 16, 2020).
“§ 6318 (•XI)), And inlimidotion in a l child abuse case (18 Pa.C.S. § 4958 (a)(2)(ii)). On September 14, 2018, the Court imposed c!onsecutivc terms of l O to 20 years of incarcemtiou tor the rape charge, 1 O to '20 years of incarceration for the IDSI charge, 10 to 20 years of…”
Chinea v. Woodward Camp, No. 4:22-cv-00134 (M.D. Penn. Dec. 13, 2022).
“107 See 18 Pa. C.S. § 4958. 108 See Chuy, 595 F.2d at 1274 (quoting Restatement (Second) of Torts, § 46, comment d).”
Fowler, No. 3:25-cv-02180 (M.D. Penn. Mar. 20, 2026).
“); 18 Pa.C.S. § 4958(b). He attempts to challenge his pretrial detention on nine grounds: “Unlawful Detention of the Wrong Person,” “Arrest Warrant Issued for a Non-Existent Entity,” “Fabricated Identity Evidence,” “Coerced Extradition,” “Lack of Personal Jurisdiction,” “No…”
18 Pa. Cons. Stat. § 4958(a): 3 cases
Com. v. Brill, J., No. 785 MDA 2022 (Pa. Super. Ct. May 31, 2023).
“§ 4952(a)(1), (2), (3), (4); compare 18 Pa.C.S. § 4958(a) (defendant must intend to obstruct, impair, or interfere “with the making of a child abuse report or the conducting of an investigation into suspected child abuse under 23 Pa.”
Com. v. Patrick, J., III, No. 1631 MDA 2017 (Pa. Super. Ct. Feb. 13, 2019).
“Because intimidation in a child abuse case is an equivalent offense to intimidation under Section 4952, see 18 Pa.C.S. § 4958(a), it qualifies as a crime of violence under the Wiretap Act and Victim was justified in recording the conversation with Mary Ayres on March 20, 2016.”
Com. v. Snyder, E., No. 1205 MDA 2018 (Pa. Super. Ct. Apr. 16, 2019).
“…§901 §§A / 18 Pa.C.S. §3125 §§A8 (F2); Count 4: Intimidation, Retaliation, or Obstruction in Child Abuse Cases, 18 Pa.C.S. §4958 §§A1 (F2); Count 5: Corruption of Minors, 18 Pa.C.S. §6301 §§A1 ii (F3); Count 6: Endangering the Welfare of Children, 18 Pa.C.S. §4304 §§A1…”
18 Pa. Cons. Stat. § 4958(a)(1): 2 cases
Com. v. Snyder, E., No. 1205 MDA 2018 (Pa. Super. Ct. Apr. 16, 2019).
“…§901 §§A / 18 Pa.C.S. §3125 §§A8 (F2); Count 4: Intimidation, Retaliation, or Obstruction in Child Abuse Cases, 18 Pa.C.S. §4958 §§A1 (F2); Count 5: Corruption of Minors, 18 Pa.C.S. §6301 §§A1 ii (F3); Count 6: Endangering the Welfare of Children, 18 Pa.C.S. §4304 §§A1…”
Com. v. Brill, J., No. 785 MDA 2022 (Pa. Super. Ct. May 31, 2023).
“§ 4952(a)(1), (2), (3), (4); compare 18 Pa.C.S. § 4958(a) (defendant must intend to obstruct, impair, or interfere “with the making of a child abuse report or the conducting of an investigation into suspected child abuse under 23 Pa.”
18 Pa. Cons. Stat. § 4958(a)(2): 1 case
Com. v. Brill, J., No. 785 MDA 2022 (Pa. Super. Ct. May 31, 2023).
“§ 4952(a)(1), (2), (3), (4); compare 18 Pa.C.S. § 4958(a) (defendant must intend to obstruct, impair, or interfere “with the making of a child abuse report or the conducting of an investigation into suspected child abuse under 23 Pa.”
18 Pa. Cons. Stat. § 4958(a)(2)(ii): 1 case
Com. v. Salazar, F., No. 1745 MDA 2016 (Pa. Super. Ct. Mar. 27, 2018).
“the knowledge that his conduct will obstruct, impede, impair, prevent or interfere with the administration of criminal justice, he intimidates or attempts to intimidate any witness or victim to: ____________________________________________ 6 Appellant does not challenge the…”
18 Pa. Cons. Stat. § 4958(a)(2)(iii): 1 case
Com. v. Brill, J., No. 785 MDA 2022 (Pa. Super. Ct. May 31, 2023).
“§ 4952(a)(1), (2), (3), (4); compare 18 Pa.C.S. § 4958(a) (defendant must intend to obstruct, impair, or interfere “with the making of a child abuse report or the conducting of an investigation into suspected child abuse under 23 Pa.”
18 Pa. Cons. Stat. § 4958(b): 1 case
Fowler, No. 3:25-cv-02180 (M.D. Penn. Mar. 20, 2026).
“); 18 Pa.C.S. § 4958(b). He attempts to challenge his pretrial detention on nine grounds: “Unlawful Detention of the Wrong Person,” “Arrest Warrant Issued for a Non-Existent Entity,” “Fabricated Identity Evidence,” “Coerced Extradition,” “Lack of Personal Jurisdiction,” “No…”
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