In Determining the Criminal Liability of a Parent, Neither the Maturity of an Unemancipated Minor nor the Minor\u27s Right to Privacy Are Affirmative Defenses to Discharge Parental Duties to Their Minor Children in Life Threatening Situations: \u3cem\u3eCommonwealth v. Nixon\u3c/em\u3e

Abstract

The Pennsylvania Supreme Court held that the mature minor doctrine will not be employed in the Commonwealth as an affirmative criminal defense discharging parents from the duty to provide care to a minor in their custody. Commonwealth v. Nixon, 761 A.2d 1151 (Pa. 2000