What can endanger a child’s welfare?

Children need to be taken care of by their parents when they are younger. Since they are unable to care for themselves, their children are needed to be their guardians. Parents are expected to maintain a certain standard of care to ensure that they are healthy and safe. If parents fail to take care of their children, they may be found to be negligent. If they display behavior that shows they are abused physically or mentally, it can also affect a child’s well-being. Children need to be nurtured when they are young to aid their development. If guardians refuse to take proper care of their child, they may have social services called on them for an inspection to occur. If Child Protective Services sees signs that the guardian is incapable of caring for the child, they may take action to remove the child from their care or to punish the guardian.

How can child endangerment be found?

Since children are under the supervision of their parents most of the time, it can hard to find signs of child endangerment. Their parents probably would not report themselves for their behavior. When another illegal act is committed in the process, it may be easier to find signs of child endangerment present surrounding the other illegal act that the individual may be charged with. Mandated reporters can also assist with finding signs of child endangerment. These reporters are required by law to report signs of child endangerment that they may see. These individuals can be doctors, teachers and other authority figures that may have contact with a child.

What is compound sentencing?

Sometimes it can be hard to find signs of child endangerment. When another illegal act is done in the process, guardians can be caught and charged with compound sentencing. For example, a guardian may be driving while under the influence of alcohol and has the child in the car with them. This can lead to a DWI charge and a charge of endangering the welfare of a child. If your charge of endangering the welfare of a child is combined with another illegal act, you may face even harsher penalties. You can be subject to more than one criminal charge. This can escalate your situation. For these circumstances, you should ensure that you have expert legal aid.

Kevin T. Conway has over 30 years of experience as a Spring Valley criminal attorney handling DUI, DWI, traffic violations, violent crimes, sex crimes, illegal gun possession, shoplifting, and juvenile crimes. Attorney Conway is also experienced in commercial law matters, zoning law, and estate planning. If you need a Rockland County criminal lawyer, contact our Spring Valley office for a free consultation.