If my 3 year old son broke the child safety lock and escaped while we were sleeping, how do we plead if we are now being charged with child endangerment?
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If my 3 year old son broke the child safety lock and escaped while we were sleeping, how do we plead if we are now being charged with child endangerment?
This was the first itme he has ever been able to open it. We have since put up alarms on the doors and 2 extra locks; 1 that requires a key from the inside. Children services found it a substantiated neglect case and closed it.
Asked on April 7, 2012 under Criminal Law, Ohio
Answers:
Kevin Bessant / Law Office of Kevin Bessant & Associates
Answered 12 years ago | Contributor
Child endangerment is where either your actions or failure to act resulted in harm or a risk of harm to the child. Not certain if the child was in a child safety seat or not, but if this was an accident, then I would plea not guilty and put this before a jury to decide. Be mindful that in some sates, a finding of neglect by juvenile/family court can impact the outcome of a criminal proceeding for the same offense.
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