(a)  Any employee of the department of children, youth and families, or any employee of any public or private agency with which the department contracts for services in furtherance of the care or custody of children who shall commit an assault or battery upon a child in the care of the department, causing serious bodily injury, shall be deemed to have committed a felony and shall be punished by imprisonment for not less than five (5) years but not more than twenty (20) years and a fine of not less than five thousand dollars ($5,000) nor more than twenty thousand dollars ($20,000).

Ask a criminal law question, get an answer ASAP!
Click here to chat with a criminal defense lawyer and protect your rights.

(b)  “Serious bodily injury” means physical injury that:

(1)  Creates a substantial risk of death;

(2)  Causes protracted loss or impairment of the function of any bodily part, member or organ; or

(3)  Causes serious permanent disfigurement.