Oklahoma Code § 21-851

Title 21. Crimes And Punishments: Desertion of children under age of ten a felony
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A.  Any parent of any child or children under the age of ten
(10) years, and every person to whom such child or children have
been confided for nurture or education, who deserts such child or
children within this state, or takes such child or children without
this state, with the intent wholly to abandon it shall be deemed
guilty of a Class B4 felony offense and upon conviction thereof
shall be punished by imprisonment in the State Penitentiary for any
period of time not less than one (1) year nor more than ten (10)
years.
B.  It is an affirmative defense to a prosecution under this
section that a parent voluntarily delivered a child under the age of
thirty (30) days to and left the child with, or voluntarily arranged
for another person to deliver a child to and leave the child with, a
medical services provider or child rescuer as provided in Section 1-
2-109 of Title 10A of the Oklahoma Statutes.
R.L. 1910, § 2433.  Amended by Laws 1923, c. 78, p. 143, § 1, emerg.
eff. March 28, 1923; Laws 1997, c. 133, § 250, eff. July 1, 1999;
Laws 1999, 1st Ex.Sess., c. 5, § 154, eff. July 1, 1999; Laws 2021,
c. 313, § 2, eff. July 1, 2021; Laws 2025, c. 486, § 104, eff. Jan.
1, 2026.

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