Child Endangerment Accusations in Illinois

 Posted on May 15, 2024 in Criminal Defense

The state of Illinois takes accusations of child endangerment very seriously and charges accordingly. Unfortunately, uninvolved accusers may not always have the full picture. Sometimes, it can seem to an outside eye that a child is in danger, when in fact, the parent is simply acting in the child’s best interests. This can even happen if a child is given a serious punishment that the parent hopes will teach them a lesson so they will make smarter and safer choices in the future. No one is legally permitted to harm anyone else, and of course, the same is true for parents. However, parents are free to discipline their children however they see fit as long as the child is not in danger. People outside the family might have gotten a bad impression about how someone is parenting their child, but the accused parent certainly has rights and should be considered innocent until proven guilty. A skilled Will County, IL criminal defense lawyer can fight to make sure that happens.

Penalties for Child Endangerment

Child endangerment essentially means you are being accused of putting a minor child in a situation where they could potentially be hurt or killed, or you know that they are in that situation and you are not doing anything to remove them from it. A person can be accused and charged regardless of whether it is demonstrated that they endangered the child intentionally or accidentally. There are several types of child endangerment recognized by the law, including:

• Neglect
• Abuse
• Exposure to illegal substances
• Withholding or not providing necessary supervision or medical care

There are several ways you can be charged for child endangerment, depending on the severity of the alleged offense and other factors. It is commonly charged as a Class A misdemeanor, which translates into fines of up to $2,500 and up to a year in jail.

If the child is severely harmed or has permanent disability as a result of your alleged actions, it would likely be considered a Class 3 felony. This could land you in prison anywhere from two to ten years.

Schedule a Free Consultation with an Illinois Criminal Defense Lawyer

If you are being accused of child endangerment, speak with a reliable Joliet, IL criminal defense attorney to help protect your rights. At McNamara Phelan McSteen, LLC, we have a team of lawyers specializing in different areas of the law, and we assign lawyers to cases based on their specific experience. Call McNamara Phelan McSteen, LLC at 815-727-0100 so we can advise you on how best to proceed.