Child Endangerment Charges in Morristown, NJ
Morris County Criminal Defense Attorneys Fight Child Abuse Charges
The experienced Morristown criminal defense attorneys at the Tormey Law Firm recently defended a client against child endangerment charges in Morristown, New Jersey. Our client faced criminal charges for endangering the welfare of a child. The charges stemmed from an alleged incident at a local store. According to prosecutors in the case, our client left his child in the car while it was parked outside. Police officers were called to the scene and arrested the dad. Needless to say, our client was shocked that he was being placed under arrest and criminally charged just for leaving his kid in the car for a few moments while he ran inside to get soup for his sick child.
Our client was charged with child endangerment and child abandonment. As set forth by N.J.S.A. 2C:24-4(a)(2), child endangerment is a second degree felony. This meant that our client could have been sentenced to 5-10 years in NJ State Prison if convicted. Fortunately, the client made a very sound decision and hired the experienced criminal defense lawyers at the Tormey Law Firm to represent him in the case. Our attorneys met with the client and then immediately got to work negotiating with the prosecutor. Before our client event had to set foot in a courtroom, we achieved the best possible outcome: dismissal of the criminal charges.
Severe Penalties for Child Endangerment and Child Abandonment in Morris County, NJ
N.J.S.A. 2C:24-4(a)(2) stipulates that any person with a legal duty to care for a child or any person who has assumed responsibility for the care of a child is guilty of a crime of the second degree when they cause the child harm that would make the child an abused or neglected child as defined in Title 9. Any other person who engages in conduct or who causes harm as described in the statute is guilty of a crime of the third degree.
N.J.S.A. 9:6-1 sets forth the penalties for child abandonment in New Jersey. The statute stipulates that abandonment of a child consists of any of the following acts by anyone with custody or control of the child: (a) willfully forsaking a child; (b) failing to care for and keep the control and custody of a child so that the child shall be exposed to physical or moral risk without proper and sufficient protection; (c) failing to care for and keep the control and custody of a child so that the child shall be liable to be supported and maintained at the expense of the public, or by child caring societies or private persons not legally chargeable with its or their care, custody, and control.
The criminal statutes clearly set a very high bar for child endangerment and child abandonment in NJ. That’s why the positive outcome to our client’s case was so important for the client. We utilized the available evidence and underlying facts to negotiate with the prosecution and reach a mutual agreement that resulted in the criminal charges being dismissed.
If you are charged with a crime in Morris County, New Jersey, whether it’s for a weapons offense, a drug crime, domestic violence, or child endangerment, the experienced NJ criminal defense lawyers at the Tormey Law Firm can help you. Contact us at our Morristown office today for immediate assistance.