Houston Indecency with a Child by Exposure Attorney
Paul Darrow Proudly Serving as Attorney for Indecency with a Child by Exposure
Sometimes people are confused about what Indecency with a Child by Exposure means. A child may observe a wholly or partially naked adult in various circumstances. In some homes, some families have a relaxed attitude toward nudity and feel that it is normal and natural. Some families are even committed nudists who vacation or live full time in nudist communities, or who spend time at “clothing optional” beaches. Women breastfeed their babies in public when children are present, doctors and other health professionals require children to undress for medical examinations, and children shower following PE class or sports events in the presence of each other and sometimes their teachers or coaches. Parents need to be present when young children are bathing as a safety concern. Do any of these situations constitute the crime of Indecency by Exposure? A Houston Indecency with a Child by Exposure Attorney will help you identify what is considered exposure or not.
In most circumstances, none of the situations described here could be considered a sex crime against a child. For the exposure to be considered “indecency,” it must have been done, according to the Texas statute, with the specific purpose of gratifying some person’s sexual desire. That would not apply in these situations, although any one of these could potentially lead to a false accusation.
Intention to Arouse or Gratify Sexual Desire
According to Texas law, Indecency with a Child by Exposure is when one of the following occurs when a person exposes the anus or any part of the genitals, knowing the child is present or causes the child to expose the child’s anus or any part of the child’s genitals with the intention to sexually arouse or gratify any person’s sexual desires.
An Indecency with a Child conviction can result in your being sent to prison for as long as twenty years and registering as a sex offender for the remainder of your life.
False Allegations Happen
False allegations can result from some misguided person attaching a wrong intention to an ordinary event like those described here. This might reflect the person’s excessively inhibited attitude toward nudity or it might be a deliberate attempt to bring harm to a person against whom the person behind the accusation has a grudge. It may simply be a misunderstanding or misinterpretation.
A person may be wrongly accused of Indecency with a Child by Exposure, but the emotional climate surrounding allegations of sex crimes involving children is often so heated that innocent people can be humiliated, shunned, deprived of their freedom, and made to register for life as sex offenders if they do not have the proper legal representation.
Contact Houston Indecency with a Child by Exposure Attorney, Paul Darrow
If you should find yourself facing such an accusation, you need an experienced and committed Houston sex offense lawyer like Paul Darrow to stand up and protect your rights. Paul knows how prosecutors make decisions about whom to charge, and he also knows that many people are wrongly accused. He knows how to dig out the facts and present them, and often is able to have the charges dropped or reduced. In a jury trial, he knows how to examine witnesses, including the child making the accusation, in such a way as to get at the truth and create reasonable doubt in the minds of the jurors, requiring acquittal.
Don’t risk your reputation and your future by failing to hire a Houston sex crimes lawyer with the experience needed to get you the best possible disposition—a lawyer like Paul Darrow. If you’ve been accused or think you’re about to be, call our Houston Indecency with a Child by Exposure Attorney today for your free initial consultation.