In most states a parent is considered to have abandoned a child if the parent does not make contact with the child and withholds financial support for a period of one or two years. Abandonment may be a basis to terminate a parent’s parental rights. But most states will not terminate a parent’s legal rights and obligations unless there is another adult—often a family member or stepparent—who wants to formally adopt the child.

Abandonment may result in criminal charges if a parent or guardian leaves a child under a certain age (15, for example) in any place and circumstance under which no reasonable adult would do so. For example, leaving a 8 year old child at the shopping mall may result in criminal charges of abandonment.

In Arkansas, parental abandonment is addressed under Arkansas Code Annotated § 9-27-341, which outlines the grounds for involuntary termination of parental rights. One of the grounds for termination is that a parent has abandoned the child, which is defined as a failure to provide significant financial support or to maintain meaningful contact with the child for a period of one year. The statute also considers the parent's intent to abandon the child and the circumstances surrounding the lack of contact or support. Termination of parental rights in Arkansas typically requires a petition to be filed in court, and the court must find that it is in the best interest of the child. Additionally, Arkansas law may allow for criminal charges in cases where a parent or guardian leaves a child in a situation that poses a clear and significant risk to the child's health and safety, which could be considered endangerment or abandonment under Arkansas Code Annotated § 5-27-205. The specifics of any criminal charges would depend on the details of the incident, including the age of the child and the circumstances of the abandonment.