Being accused of putting a minor child at “risk of injury” can be both upsetting and confusing, especially if you are not already familiar with how Connecticut state law defines this particular criminal offense. Regardless of what led to you being charged in the first place, the outcome of your criminal case could have resounding implications for your professional prospects, personal freedom, and the relationship you are allowed to have with your children.
Assistance from a Ridgefield risk of injury to a minor lawyer is crucial to handling this scenario in the best way possible. Your dedicated DCF defense attorney will work tirelessly to build the strongest possible defense strategy, negotiate with law enforcement and court authorities on your behalf, and minimize the long-term consequences this case may have on your life.
According to Connecticut General Statutes (“C.G.S.”) § 53-21, there are three different actions that can be prosecuted as “injury or risk of injury to, or impairing morals of, children,” each of which a skilled Ridgefield attorney can help contest as effectively as possible both in and out of court. The most common form that this offense takes is “willfully or unlawfully caus[ing] or permit[ting]” a child younger than 16 to be placed in a situation that endangers their life and limb, health, or morals. This incredibly broad offense is categorized as a Class C felony and carries up to 10 years of prison time and up to $10,000 in fines upon conviction.
Permanently transferring legal custody of a child to another person in exchange for some form of compensation and outside the boundaries of a legally permissible adoption is also considered a Class C felony under this statute.
Finally, making physical contact with a child’s intimate parts or forcing a child to contact someone else’s intimate parts in a “sexual and indecent matter” is a more serious crime and can be prosecuted as a Class B felony.
Another criminal charge worth discussing in the context of “risk of injury to a child” is leaving a child unsupervised in a place of public accommodation or a motor vehicle, which is defined under C.G.S. § 53-21a. As per this statute, it is a Class A misdemeanor for a parent, guardian, or other person responsible for supervising a child under 12 to knowingly leave that child alone in either of the abovementioned locations for long enough to endanger their health or safety.
This offense can be elevated to a Class D felony if the “place of public accommodation” has a license to sell alcohol for consumption on the premises, or elevated to a Class C felony if the child in question is left alone between eight PM and six AM. A risk of injury to a minor lawyer in Ridgefield can help contest charges filed under this section of state law in addition to C.G.S. § 53-21.
Child endangerment is a serious allegation, no matter what criminal statute it is charged or prosecuted under. Even in a situation like this, though, it is sometimes possible to secure a favorable case result if you understand and effectively enforce your rights under Connecticut state law.
You have help available with protecting your best interests throughout your legal proceedings from an experienced Ridgefield risk of injury to a minor lawyer. Call Mark Sherman Law today to learn more.
