You take your eyes off your child at the grocery store for barely two seconds, and they vanish. Before you know it, you are being paged over the intercom to come pick up your child at the front of the store. It happens more often than you would think. It does not matter if the entire ordeal took less than ten minutes. The sad reality is that you could be charged for child endangerment in this scenario.
If this is only the first time, chances are you would only receive a misdemeanor if convicted. Subsequent occurrences could land you in some deep water with the law, significantly if the child is seriously injured or dies. Any child endangerment charges should be taken seriously and involve a knowledgeable and experienced attorney to handle the case.
Illinois’ Law On Child Endangerment
Losing sight of a minor child, even for a second, could very well place that child’s life in danger. When you allow or place a child under the age of 18 years old in danger, Illinois considers it child endangerment. A child being out of your purview is not the only instance of child endangerment, according to Illinois law. Other examples that can be considered child endangerment include: