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 Arizona, parental abandonment is addressed under Arizona Revised Statutes Section 8-531 to 8-539. A parent is considered to have abandoned a child if they fail to provide reasonable support and to maintain regular contact with the child for a period of six months. This includes both financial support and physical presence. Abandonment is one of the grounds for the termination of parental rights in Arizona. However, as in most states, Arizona courts are generally reluctant to terminate parental rights unless there is someone else, such as a stepparent or another family member, willing to adopt the child. Regarding criminal charges, under Arizona law, a person may face charges of child abandonment if they leave a child in a situation where the child's health or welfare could be endangered. The specific age at which a child can be left alone is not specified in Arizona statutes, but leaving a child in a situation that a reasonable person would consider unsafe could lead to criminal charges.