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 Oregon, parental abandonment is addressed under state statutes that define it as a parent failing to maintain a reasonable degree of interest, concern, or responsibility for the welfare of their child. This typically includes failing to provide financial support or to maintain regular contact with the child for a period of one year or more. Such behavior can be grounds for the termination of parental rights, particularly if it is in the best interest of the child and there is another adult willing to assume those rights, such as through adoption. Oregon law also considers it a criminal offense to leave a child in a situation where their health or welfare could be endangered, which could include leaving a young child alone in a public place like a shopping mall. The specific age at which a child can be considered abandoned in a criminal sense is not fixed at 15, but rather depends on the circumstances and the child's ability to care for themselves.