14-07-16. Abandonment or nonsupport of spouse - Penalty

14-07-16. Abandonment or nonsupport of spouse - Penalty Every husband or wife who, without lawful excuse, deserts that person's spouse with intent wholly to abandon that spouse or who willfully fails to furnish such food, shelter, clothing, and medical attention as is reasonably necessary and sufficient to keep the life of the spouse from danger and discomfort and the spouse's health from injury, is guilty of a class C felony. If a husband or wife while in another state and having left that person's spouse in this state, willfully and intentionally and without lawful excuse deserts that person's spouse and abandons the spouse, or while in such other state, willfully and intentionally fails to furnish such food, shelter, clothing, and medical attention as is reasonably necessary, as herein provided, while that person's spouse is in this state, such abandonment and failure to support must be construed to have been committed in this state and all of the laws of this state with reference to punishment apply with the same force and effect as if such abandonment and failure to support had occurred in this state and the abandoning spouse is subject to the penalty as in this section provided.