Child Endangerment Laws, Charges And Statute of Limitations
Understanding Child Endangerment
Child endangerment is a form of child abuse. If you put a child in a situation where they can be seriously hurt, then you can be charged with child endangerment. People who are charged with child endangerment often commit assault. However, you do not have to assault a child to put them in danger.
Elements of Child Endangerment
The purpose of punishing child endangerment is to prevent someone from doing something that can potentially hurt a child. In order for you to be charged with child endangerment, the relationship between you and the child has to be established. You cannot be charged with child endangerment if you did not have a responsibility to care for the child.
Who Can Be Charged
In addition to parents and grandparents, social workers, teachers and child care workers can also be charged with child endangerment. Anyone with a responsibility to care for a child may face charges if they endanger that child.
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(212) 300-5196Deliberate Acts of Endangerment
When people think about child endangerment, they often think about a deliberate act that puts a child in danger. For example, a parent leaving a child in a hot car is an act of child endangerment.
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A parent left their two young children alone in a car on a hot summer day while running errands inside a shopping center for over an hour. A bystander called 911 after noticing the children in distress, and the parent was arrested upon returning to the vehicle.
Can I really be charged with child endangerment even though I didn't physically harm my children?
Yes — child endangerment laws do not require that a child actually suffer physical harm. Under most state statutes, placing a child in a situation where there is a substantial risk of serious injury is enough to support criminal charges. Leaving young children unattended in a hot vehicle is one of the most commonly prosecuted forms of child endangerment, as interior car temperatures can reach deadly levels within minutes. Depending on your state and the circumstances, you could face misdemeanor or felony charges, with penalties ranging from probation to several years in prison, and the incident may also trigger a child protective services investigation.
This is general information only. Contact us for advice specific to your situation.
Failure to Act
However, if a person fails to do something, then they can be charged with child endangerment. For example, if a child care worker does not give the child their required medication and they get sick as a result of this, then they can be charged with child endangerment.
