Falsely Accused Of Child Endangerment: You Must Act

A charge of child endangerment is a serious accusation. Not only is there often jail time and lifelong restrictions involved with conviction but there is irreversible tarnish to your reputation. A fine line must be traveled to avoid falsely or further implicating yourself. Learn what every person should do who finds themselves in this situation.

Procedural Restrictions

The purpose of these charges and the entire process is less about you and more about protecting the child. As such, whenever someone is charged with child endangerment, it is typically standard procedure to restrict the accused from interacting with the child named in the case and any other minors. 

Even when a person knows they are innocent, they must abide by these guidelines. Failing to do so is not only a punishable violation but will also make you appear as someone who does not follow the rules. In the eyes of the law, it is easier to believe that someone who does not follow the rules will also break the law. 

Evidence

The mantra that an individual is innocent until proven guilty is true. When the state brings up charges of child endangerment against a citizen, the state is also tasked with the burden of proof, which means they have to prove guilt. 

In this case, the accused should be prepared to refute any inaccurate claims made by the prosecution with definite evidence of their own. More often than not, an attorney is the best tool for this scenario. An attorney will review the specifics of the case against you and your statements to help you prepare the best defense against any false claims made against you.

Willful Actions

Child endangerment is somewhat of a far-reaching charge in that it can encompass a lot of different scenarios, and this act is not always intentional. Sometimes, a lapse of good judgment or a host of other factors can unintentionally cause someone to put a minor at risk.

However, in addition to a substantial burden of proof, the prosecution must also prove that any case of child endangerment was willful. In short, this means the accused must have been fully aware of the potential risk and had a specific intention of causing harm. An attorney can help prove that their client's actions were unwilful as a defense. 

Keep all these factors in mind as you navigate this journey, and most importantly, follow the advice of your attorney throughout the process. Contact a local criminal defense attorney to learn more.