State v. Coffey

For a defendant to be found guilty of the criminal offense created by G.S. 49-2, two facts, must be established: First, that the defendant is a parent of the illegitimate child in question, who must be a person coming within the definition of a child as set forth in that section; and second, that the defendant has willfully neglected or refused to support and maintain such illegitimate child. In addition, if the defendant is the reputed father, it must be shown that the prosecution has been instituted within one of the time periods provided in G.S. 49-4. In prosecutions under G.S. 49-2 et…