According to the American Bar Association, child abuse and neglect are two of the leading causes of children's deaths in the United States today. Child abuse includes physical, mental, or emotional injury to a child, sexual contact or conduct with a child, and involving a child in child pornography. Neglect includes leaving a child exposed to harm, failure to provide basic food, clothing, and shelter, failure to obtain medical care, and placing a child in situations he or she is too young to cope with and which are potentially harmful to the child. Child abuse is a serious crime and a person may be prosecuted for offenses including injury to a child, aggravated criminal sexual assault, aggravated criminal sexual abuse, aggravated assault, incest, solicitation of a child, indecent exposure, and contributing to the delinquency of a child. Punishments for these and other crimes of abuse and neglect include fines, imprisonment, or both. If you are being investigated for a crime involving the abuse of a child, you should consult with an attorney. Many agencies have responsibility for such investigations, including the Department of Human Services. Any statements made in these investigations might be used against you later at a civil or criminal trial. For more information, contact an attorney knowledgeable in this area.