Child Abuse

(1) "Abuse" means a case in which a minor exhibits evidence of skin bruising, bleeding, sexual molestation, burns, fracture of bone, subdural hematoma, soft-tissue swelling, and the condition or death is not justifiably explained, the history given concerning the condition or death is at variance with the degree or type of the condition or death, or the circumstances indicate that the condition or death may not be the product of an accidental occurrence.

A person examining, attending, teaching or treating a minor and having reason to believe that the minor has had serious injury or injuries, either physical or mental, inflicted upon him as a result of abuse, reports the matter promptly to the Office of the Attorney General, or in the case of a Department of Health Services employee, to the Director who promptly makes the report to the Office of the Attorney General. If the person attending a child is a school teacher or other school official, he reports the abuse to his supervisor who promptly reports to the Office of the Attorney General. The report is in writing, whether initially or following an initial oral report, and states the minor's name, age, address, and parents or other person known to be responsible for the minor and the nature and extent of the minor's injuries, including evidence of previous injuries, and other information which the maker of the report believes might be helpful in establishing the cause of the injuries and the identity of the person responsible for the abuse.

Cross-reference:

For offense see Section 13.614.

Section 16.1203. Immunity.

A person participating in good faith in the making of a report pursuant to this chapter is immune from civil and criminal liability arising from the making of the report and with respect to oral, written or other evidence he provides concerning the report in a judicial proceeding.