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Tex. Penal Code § 38.17

FAILURE TO STOP OR REPORT SEXUAL OR ASSAULTIVE OFFENSE AGAINST CHILD

Applied in 2 court decisions — leading case Maldonado v. State (1995)

Most recently applied in Bradford v. State (January 2017)

Added by Acts 1999, 76th Leg., ch. 1344, Sec. 1, eff

(a) A person commits an offense if:

(1) the actor observes the commission or attempted commission of an offense under circumstances in which a reasonable person would believe that an offense of a sexual or assaultive nature was being committed or was about to be committed against a child;

(2) the actor fails to assist the child or immediately report the commission of the offense to a peace officer or law enforcement agency; and

(3) the actor could assist the child or immediately report the commission of the offense without placing the actor in danger of suffering serious bodily injury or death.

(b) An offense under this section is a felony of the third degree.

(c) If conduct that constitutes an offense under this section also constitutes an offense under any other law, the actor may be prosecuted under this section, the other law, or both.

Official source: Texas Constitution and Statutes. Reproduced from public-domain Texas statutes; confirm against the official source for the current text. Not legal advice.