235B.20  Dependent adult abuse — initiation of charges — penalty.
  1.  Charges of dependent adult abuse may be initiated upon complaint of private individuals or as a result of investigations by social service agencies or on the direct initiative of a county attorney or law enforcement agency.
  2.  A caretaker who intentionally or recklessly commits dependent adult abuse on a dependent adult in violation of this chapter which resulted in the death of the dependent adult is guilty of murder in the second degree in violation of section 707.3.
  3.  A caretaker who intentionally commits dependent adult abuse on a dependent adult in violation of this chapter is guilty of a class “C” felony if the intentional dependent adult abuse results in serious injury.
  4.  A caretaker who recklessly commits dependent adult abuse on a dependent adult in violation of this chapter is guilty of a class “D” felony if the reckless dependent adult abuse results in serious injury.
  5.  A caretaker who intentionally commits dependent adult abuse on a dependent adult in violation of this chapter is guilty of a class “C” felony if the intentional dependent adult abuse results in physical injury.
  6.  A caretaker who commits dependent adult abuse by exploiting a dependent adult in violation of this chapter is guilty of a class “D” felony if the value of the property, assets, or resources exceeds one hundred dollars.
  7.  A caretaker who recklessly commits dependent adult abuse on a person in violation of this chapter is guilty of an aggravated misdemeanor if the reckless dependent adult abuse results in physical injury.
  8.  A caretaker who otherwise intentionally or knowingly commits dependent adult abuse upon a dependent adult in violation of this chapter is guilty of a serious misdemeanor.
  9.  A caretaker who commits dependent adult abuse by exploiting a dependent adult in violation of this chapter is guilty of a simple misdemeanor if the value of the property, assets, or resources is one hundred dollars or less.
  10.  A caretaker alleged to have committed a violation of this chapter shall be charged with the respective offense cited, unless a charge may be brought based upon a more serious offense, in which case the charge of the more serious offense shall supersede the less serious charge.
96 Acts, ch 1130, §10; 2009 Acts, ch 107, §4; 2021 Acts, ch 53, §1
Referred to in §235E.4, 272C.15, 671A.2, 901C.3
NEW subsection 2 and former subsections 2 – 9 renumbered as 3 – 10