child neglect

[cowgirl27]

What is the name of your state? Kansas

Hypothetical scenario: a mom has two kids. One school-aged and one who is almost 2. The mom takes the school-aged child to school that is less than two minutes away and gets back before 5 minutes is up. She left the two year old home alone for that five minutes but only because the two year old had been sick all night and was finally sleeping restfully. She does this one time. Is that a crime?

My own opinion is that I wouldn't want to take the chance and it would ultimately be irresponsible, but I want to know if it is a crime in the eyes of the court.

 

[JETX]

Sorry, but the senior members have too much work responding to REAL legal issues to spend time on hypotheticals.

 

[cowgirl27]

It could be a real legal issue. I wouldn't be asking if it didn't have some importance to me.

 

[calatty]

It could be charged as a crime, but probably wouldn't be unless something happened to the two-year-old during those five minutes. But crime or not, it is a very, very bad idea. Two-year-olds can get into serious trouble in less than a few seconds.

 

[cowgirl27]

Thats very true. I can't even go to the restroom without either taking my daughter with me or worrying the whole time I'm in there. As much as a person child-proof's their house, the kids always find something to get to anyway!

 

[HomeGuru]

So what is your point in asking?

 

[cowgirl27]

Do I have to state points and reasons to be able to ask a question?

 

[pass23431]

Technically, this would probably not be an offense that would validate the filing of criminal charges due to the fact that it was a one time thing, and nothing happened as a result, and it was for such a short time, HOWEVER, what could, and most likely will happen here, is that your local children's services authority will become involved, and that, could become quite an entangled affair. Children, should never be left unattended, not even for five minutes.

 

[cowgirl27]

Agreed. Okay, thanks for the input. I will close this now.

Wait, I thought I could close this. Well, whoever can close threads, can close this one.