{"data":{"id":"us-va/va.-code-18.2-371","jurisdiction":"us-va","citation":"Va. Code § 18.2-371","heading":"Causing or encouraging acts rendering children delinquent, abused, etc.; penalty; abandoned infant","body":"Any person 18 years of age or older, including the parent of any child, who (i) willfully contributes to, encourages, or causes any act, omission, or condition that renders a child delinquent, in need of services, in need of supervision, or abused or neglected as defined in § 16.1-228 or (ii) engages in consensual sexual intercourse or anal intercourse with or performs cunnilingus, fellatio, or anilingus upon or by a child 15 or older not his spouse, child, or grandchild is guilty of a Class 1 misdemeanor. This section shall not be construed as repealing, modifying, or in any way affecting §§ 18.2-18, 18.2-19, 18.2-61, 18.2-63, and 18.2-347.If the prosecution under this section is based solely on the accused parent having left the child at a hospital or emergency medical services agency, it shall be an affirmative defense to prosecution of a parent under this section that such parent safely delivered the child within the first 30 days of the child's life to (a) a hospital that provides 24-hour emergency services, (b) an attended emergency medical services agency that employs emergency medical services personnel, or (c) a newborn safety device located at and operated by such hospital or emergency medical services agency. In order for the affirmative defense to apply, the child shall be delivered in a manner reasonably calculated to ensure the child's safety.Code 1950, § 18.1-14; 1960, c. 358; 1975, cc. 14, 15; 1981, cc. 397, 568; 1990, c. 797; 1991, c. 295; 1993, c. 411; 2003, cc. 816, 822; 2006, c. 935; 2008, cc. 174, 206; 2014, c. 794; 2015, cc. 502, 503; 2022, cc. 80, 81.","path":["Title 18.2. Crimes and Offenses Generally","Chapter 8. Crimes Involving Morals and Decency","Article 4. Family Offenses; Crimes Against Children, etc"],"source_url":"https://law.lis.virginia.gov/vacode/18.2-371/","current_through":"9/4/2026","vintage":"","retrieved_at":"2026-09-04T15:14:34Z","sha256":"53d95dce1d7b1cc8e9d607031332d60662fc4ea3b32a651b5c2a87f9fa983bff","source_id":"us-va","stale":true,"prev":"us-va/va.-code-18.2-370.6","next":"us-va/va.-code-18.2-371.1"},"notice":"GroundRules: Original legal text. Not legal advice."}