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Speak Up! - View Question #168 |
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Question: If a parent leaves a toddler in the car alone can they be arrested for child endangerment?
Answer: First - it is never safe to leave your child alone, under any circumstances. Whether it equates a crime depends on the circumstances, and different police officers could charge you with a variety of offenses, depending on those circumstances.
Leaving a child alone in a car would at minimum, be a violation of Arizona law (A.R.S. 13-2623). This law makes it a crime for a person to place a child in a situation where the health of the child is endangered. Depending on what exactly happens in the situation determines the punishment, that is, what degree of felony it is.
Keep in mind, if anything more severe occurs, for instance, the child is physically hurt in the process, you could be charged with additional crimes, such as assault.
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