Child Endangerment

Parents, grandparents, babysitters, and other caregivers are often surprised when they are charged with child abandonment under Arizona law. What a witness or law enforcement officer may consider or perceive to be unreasonable treatment of a child that puts them in imminent danger may not be the case for that particular child and his or her particular family or caregiver. Nevertheless, a child endangerment charge in Maricopa County is a serious offense with serious repercussions, and it is highly recommended you choose the services of an experienced Mesa domestic violence defense attorney to protect your rights, your future, and your name from a conviction for child endangerment.

What may seem like a simple misunderstanding or mistake to you can have serious repercussions on the rest of your life without a proper defense strategy. If you have been charged with child endangerment anywhere in Maricopa County, including Mesa, Tempe, Gilbert, Phoenix, Chandler, Scottsdale, and East Valley, contact experienced criminal defense attorney James Novak.

With multiple degrees and over 15 years of experience, including a stint as a prosecutor, James Novak knows the challenges and advantages your particular child endangerment case may have in Maricopa County courts. He will fight to get your charges reduced or dismissed, and make sure your rights are protected. To find out what The Law Office of James E. Novak can do for your child endangerment case in Mesa or the surrounding areas, call (480) 413-1499 today and schedule your free initial case consultation.

Unlike other states, Arizona has no specific statute dealing with child endangerment. Instead, endangerment of any person is classified as an offense. According to ARS § 13-1201, a person commits endangerment by recklessly endangering another person with a substantial risk of imminent physical injury or death. Because a child in Arizona is an individual who is under 18, endangerment against a person under the age of 18 would be referred to as child endangerment, though it is not a specific offense.

According to ARS § 13-105(c), to commit an act "recklessly" means to be aware of and consciously disregard a substantial and unjustifiable risk of a degree that, if disregarded, constitutes a gross deviation from a reasonable person's standard of conduct in the same situation. Situations that may be considered child endangerment by a witness or law enforcement through this standard of recklessness include:

• Leaving a child unattended in a vehicle
• Leaving a child unsupervised, or under insufficient supervision
• Administering punishment that leads to bodily injury
• Failing to report suspected child abuse
• Failing to protect a child from injury
• Being under the influence of alcohol or drugs while caring for a child

Child endangerment can be due to a specific action or even for certain inaction. How severe the offense is depends on how much danger the child was in at the time of your alleged endangerment. An experienced Mesa domestic violence defense attorney can fight to defend your rights, your future, and your family from a child endangerment charge.

If you have been charged with child endangerment for substantial risk of imminent physical injury, your offense is a Class 1 Misdemeanor punishable by up to 6 months in jail and/or a maximum fine of $2500. Child endangerment for substantial risk of imminent death is a Class 6 Felony charge, which is punishable by 6 to 18 months in prison and/or fines of $750 or more.

However, the sanctions for a child endangerment conviction extend past the presumptive penalties. Your arrest and your conviction for child endangerment will show up on your background check, making you ineligible for certain educational and professional opportunities. For a felony conviction, you will also lose civil rights like the ability to own a firearm and the right to vote. Given the impact a conviction for child endangerment can have on your future, the services of an experienced domestic violence defense attorney in Maricopa County area strongly recommended for your child endangerment charges in Mesa or the surrounding areas.

If you have been arrested and charged with child endangerment in Mesa, Tempe, Gilbert, Phoenix, Chandler, Scottsdale, or East Valley, put the 15+ years of legal experience of James Novak, Tempe criminal defense attorney behind your defense. The Law Office of James E. Novak knows what it takes to get Maricopa County child endangerment charges reduced, dismissed, or to win the case. Your first consultation with The Law Office of James E. Novak is free, so call (480) 413-1499 today and schedule yours.