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Children need adequate food, shelter, clothing, and protection. When a parent, babysitter, teacher, or other caregiver deprives a child of these essentials or otherwise harms the child, they can be charged with child endangerment in Florida.
While endangerment is considered a type of abuse, these charges often arise from high-emotion situations and misunderstandings. You may be innocent and still become stuck in the system because someone reports you to authorities without knowing the facts. Our expert Boca Raton child endangerment lawyers can take charge of the situation. At Rossen Law Firm, our attorneys believe in fighting for you and your future. We will do our best to make sure one charge does not upend your entire life.
Endangerment encompasses a wide range of acts, including neglect, domestic violence, and aggravated child abuse. While parents tend to be on the receiving end of child endangerment charges, anyone who is responsible for caring for a child could be charged.
Someone can also be charged with endangerment for failing to report known abuse or knowingly putting a child in a dangerous situation. A knowledgeable Boca Raton lawyer can provide more information on what constitutes a child endangerment charge.
Spanking, a form of corporal punishment, is permitted under Florida law unless it harms the child. Under Florida Statutes Section 39.01(34), legal corporal punishment must be reasonable and not excessive enough to cause physical, emotional, or mental injuries to the child. The child endangerment statute also includes actions that inflict ‘legal’ harm, including abandoning or neglecting a child and exposing them to drugs or alcohol.
Definitions of “harm” tend to be subjective from person to person, which can result in unnecessary or unfair accusations. An experienced Boca Raton attorney can work to discredit the stories vindictive spouses and nosy neighbors tell the police when a caregiver is accused of child endangerment after spanking a child.
Endangering a child is a felony. Under Fla. Stat. Sec. 775.082, willfully neglecting or endangering a child who suffers great harm or permanent disfigurement is a second-degree felony, carrying penalties of up to 15 years behind bars, fines, loss of custody, and other sanctions. In cases where a child is allegedly abused or neglected but does not suffer great bodily harm, the charge is a third-degree felony. Third-degree felonies come with prison time of up to five years, fines, and other penalties.
Child endangerment punishments are not something to take lightly. A conviction could change every aspect of your life. Working with an expert legal team is crucial to reducing the penalties that come with a child endangerment charge in Boca Raton. In certain cases, an attorney could be able to help you avoid a conviction altogether.
Different people have different ideas of what child endangerment is. This can lead to charges that are not necessarily warranted, putting your livelihood and freedom on the line. Once the Florida Department of Children and Families begins investigating you for endangering or neglecting a child, you risk prison, losing custody, and more. Do not leave your defense to chance. You need an expert attorney dedicated to protecting you and your future.
The expert attorneys at Rossen Law Firm have years of experience handling cases like these and a track record of success. Call a Boca Raton child endangerment lawyer today to set up your strategy session with a dedicated member of our team.
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Rossen Law Firm’s legal team understands what’s at stake when you’re charged with a crime in South Florida. We’re committed to defending you and protecting your rights. Our legal team is ready to create a customized strategy for your case to fight for the best possible outcome. We handle Criminal, DUI, Federal, Domestic Violence, Marchman Act & Baker Act cases, and more.
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