Which defense claims the defendant was too young to understand their actions, typically under six years old?

• A. Alibi
• B. Self-Defense
• C. Diminished Mental Capacity
• D. Infancy

Answer: (D)

The main concept is the infancy defense, which asserts that a person, especially a child, is not capable of understanding the nature of their actions or forming the criminal intent required for liability because of their very young age. This defense is used when a defendant is so young—often under a threshold like seven, with examples around six—that they cannot be held responsible for the crime. Because the scenario describes someone being too young to understand what they’re doing, this defense best matches the situation.

Alibi would challenge where the defendant was at the time of the crime. Self-defense justifies actions taken to prevent imminent harm. Diminished mental capacity involves reduced ability to form intent due to mental illness or cognitive impairment, not primarily based on age.