Indiana legal term
Abusive head trauma in Indiana Criminal Law
Current through 2026 Indiana legislative session
In Indiana criminal law, “Abusive head trauma” is a term defined by statute rather than by its everyday meaning. Its statutory definition — quoted verbatim below — controls how the term is applied throughout the Indiana criminal code.
What does “Abusive head trauma” mean in Indiana criminal law?
"Abusive head trauma" means an inflicted injury to the head and its contents of an infant or a child less than six (6) years of age, including an injury caused by shaking or blunt impact, that may: (1) result in bleeding inside the head; and (2) cause one (1) or more of the following conditions: (A) Irreversible brain damage. (Ind. Code § 35-31.5-2-1.7)
Statutes defining or using this term
Related terms in the same statutes
This reference is informational and is not legal advice.