Pierro
People v. Pierro
Opinion
Lead Opinion
James, J.
Defendant was prosecuted under the provisions of the juvenile court law of 1909 for having committed acts of a lewd and lascivious character with an alleged dependent child named Valita Rhinehart. Otherwise expressed, the offense of contributing to the dependency of a minor under the age of eighteen years was the crime intended to be charged by the information. The appeal is taken from a judgment of imprisonment, and from an order made by the trial court denying defendant’s motion for a new trial.
The act of the legislature referred to defines a dependent child to be one who is found committing, or who engages in the performance of, a variety of acts, all of which are specified in some fifteen subdivisions of the first section of the law. A child of the character therein described, or who does any of the different acts enumerated in either or any of such subdivisions, is declared to be dependent. By section 26 of the act it is then provided that ‘ ‘ in all eases where any child shall be dependent or delinquent under the terms of this act, the parent or parents, legal guardian or person having custody of such child, or any other person who shall, by any act or omission, encourage,…