WHAT IS ENDANGERING A CHILD IN ILLINOIS?

You left your child in the car on a relatively hot day while you went to the store.  It took a long time to check out at the counter.  Nonetheless, you were surprised to find the police waiting at your car.

Now you are charged with endangering the life or health of a child.  What does that mean? What can you do?

You commit endangering the life or health of a child when you knowingly:

• Cause or permit the life or health of a child under the age of 18 to be endangered; or

• Cause or permit a child to be placed in circumstances that endanger the child’s life or health.

See 720 ILCS 5/12C-5.

In the above situation, a judge or jury may infer child endangerment if you left a child age 6 or younger unattended for more than 10 minutes.  “Unattended” means the child was not accompanied or within sight of someone age 14 or older.

The fact your child was uninjured is not a defense.

If you are charged with endangering a child, contact an experienced criminal law attorney immediately.  An experienced attorney can review your case for your best possible defense.  As with most crimes, the state must prove all the elements of the offense beyond a reasonable doubt. While a judge or jury may infer endangerment from an unattended child, an attorney may be able to contest this.  For example, maybe you were gone less than 10 minutes.  Or you left the child with your teenager, but your teenager wandered off.

If you have questions about this or another related Illinois criminal or traffic matter, please contact Matt Keenan at 847-568-0160 or email matt@mattkeenanlaw.com.

(Besides Skokie, Matt Keenan also serves the communities of Arlington Heights, Chicago, Deerfield, Des Plaines, Evanston, Glenview, Morton Grove, Mount Prospect, Niles, Northbrook, Park Ridge, Rolling Meadows, Wilmette and Winnetka.)